CAMPAIGNERS who fought to see an Old Town roundabout reinstated are confident it will pass a six-month traffic review.

The roundabout was put back in March following a long battle by people living and working near the junction.

They were unhappy after traffic lights were installed early last year as part of a £142,000 bus priority scheme.

The council's aim was to make it quicker for buses taking passengers through Old Town from the recently opened Croft park and ride in Croft Road to the town centre.

But people who used the junction complained that the new traffic lights had made it much more difficult and dangerous for children and the elderly to cross the road.

In January this year, councillors reviewed the traffic lights, and the decision was made to return the roundabout.

Rosemary Earle, owner of Earle's Newsagents on Newport Street, led the fight to have the roundabout re-installed and collected a 1,200 signature petition.

She said: "It's wonderful to have the roundabout back. The general consensus is that people are very pleased.

"There seems to be much less traffic, there were always queues down Newport Street but now it's far quieter and cleaner and it has removed a lot of the tension in the area.

"People can now cross the road in a few seconds rather than having to wait several minutes.

"Many parents have told me they have more confidence in their children crossing safely on their way to and from school.

"I think they would be mad to re-install the traffic lights after the six month period.

"The council received a bloody nose over the lights for ignoring us.

"It would be a mistake to do it again."

Coun Fionuala Foley (Con, Old Town and Lawns) worked hard appealing to the council to put the roundabout back in.

She said: "The roundabout seems to be working wonderfully and since it re-opened I have received hundreds of good comments and people on the whole are pleased.

"Pedestrians feel so much safer. Before you could have up to 20 children waiting by the road to cross, and the pavement is not wide, so it was very dangerous.

"Now they rarely need to be supervised.

"I am confident the roundabout is here to stay," she said.