St Michael's Road can be a useful local route for west-bound cyclists avoiding the central junction in Headingley and its approach roads, dominated by queuing traffic or parked cars.

The current configuration could be improved to allow cyclists approaching the junction to cross directly from St Michael's Rd into the cycle box immediately in front of the traffic lights at the northern extremity of Cardigan Road.

A dedicated traffic signal, coordinated with the parallel pedestrian crossing (to the extreme right of the image), would allow cyclists to cross from the island in the foreground to the advanced stop line in the far lane.

These improvements would require very little actual ground work, instead making use of smarter signal control. Further adjustments to the sequencing could see cyclists granted a synchronized left turn into Kirkstall Lane.