Mayor of Orange Cr John Davis said yesterday the lights will solve some major traffic problems in the area.

“There’s no doubt that the building of the service station on that site was a huge mistake,” he said.

Council has received numerous complaints about traffic queuing from the service station, stopping traffic turning right and left from Bathurst Road.

Pedestrians and the disabled have also expressed concerns saying it is impossible to dodge the traffic during peak times to cross William Street at the Five Ways.

The new lights will cost $300,000, with council to pay $75,000 and the Roads and Traffic Authority to put up the remaining funding of $225,000.

Cr Davis said he was pleased council had held off in agreeing to totally fund the lights and the decision of the RTA was a good result for Orange.

“This will be an excellent measure to put in place of course while we are using this route for the bypass,” Cr Davis said.

Plans include the installation of lights east and west of the intersection on Bathurst Road and in William Street.

Cr Davis said the installation of the lights to create a safer flow of traffic and allow pedestrians to cross the road, would see the end of criticism of traffic conditions in the area.