Britannia Crossroads

[entwisi]

I'm verry happy to see them finally start work up there BUT...

to do the work they have put up temp traffic lights which took all of an hour or two to fit and surprise, surprise they do the exact job that the roundabout is meant to do. I come through at rush hour ( 5pm - 5:30) and the traffic is never backed up to any particular degree.

Why didn't they just shove some traffic lights there and be done, probably a fraction of the cost and a day or two at most to fit. none of this buying two fields etc

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by entwisi

I'm verry happy to see them finally start work up there BUT...

to do the work they have put up temp traffic lights which took all of an hour or two to fit and surprise, surprise they do the exact job that the roundabout is meant to do. I come through at rush hour ( 5pm - 5:30) and the traffic is never backed up to any particular degree.

Why didn't they just shove some traffic lights there and be done, probably a fraction of the cost and a day or two at most to fit. none of this buying two fields etc

You could have a point Ian, but so long as they are doing something at this junction lets not complain to much, its been a danger spot for many years and something needed doing. When decisions are made about these things its not always the right one. When I was driving I always said the the only time the road junction at Church worked properly was when the Traffic Lights weren't working, the traffic then flowed freely

[garinda]

God alone knows why they just didn't install traffic lights there.

It would have been a lot cheaper than the £800,000 the roundabout is costing.

Plus traffic lights are easier to understand, especially for those numpties who don't know how to navigate safely around a roundabout, and never use their indicators.

[accyman]

Originally Posted by entwisi

I'm verry happy to see them finally start work up there BUT...

to do the work they have put up temp traffic lights which took all of an hour or two to fit and surprise, surprise they do the exact job that the roundabout is meant to do. I come through at rush hour ( 5pm - 5:30) and the traffic is never backed up to any particular degree.

Why didn't they just shove some traffic lights there and be done, probably a fraction of the cost and a day or two at most to fit. none of this buying two fields etc

i said teh very same thing when we first talked about these plans on here and got shot down for it

anyway i still maintain traffic lights woudl be better than a roundabout and a lot cheaper

my reasoning is that a red light is more noticable than a roundabout ahead sign and also a red light means stop where as at a roundabout people will be fighting to get out just like they do at theat awfull mini roundabout in blackburn leading up to the KFC next to the BP petrol station

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by garinda

God alone knows why they just didn't install traffic lights there.

It would have been a lot cheaper than the £800,000 the roundabout is costing.

Plus traffic lights are easier to understand, especially for those numpties who don't know how to navigate safely around a roundabout, and never use their indicators.

Maybe if the people who plan these things were paying for it themselves, it may make a difference in their thinking, but hey its the County Council and our money. If they were in the private sector, I'm sure traffic lights would have been the order of the day, but of course they all sing from the Frank Sinatra song sheet at county hall "I did it My Way

[entwisi]

Roundabouts are just like a chicane for the road, I hope its positioned such that people driving along Hassy old road have to lose a lot of speed going onto it through sharp right left rights or you will just end up with them hitting those people coming up lottice lane.

[Neil]

Originally Posted by entwisi

Why didn't they just shove some traffic lights there and be done, probably a fraction of the cost and a day or two at most to fit. none of this buying two fields etc

It was explained by LCC Traffic Officer that the junction is not suitable for traffic lights as it does not comply with current regulations for traffic light installation. I think it is due to the approach from the Knuzden side.

Although the temp lights appear to be working they are very unreliable.

7am Saturday morning the lights were stuck on read from the Guide side at least - if not all of them.

Again this morning at 7am they were stuck again. After waiting 5 minutes for them to change cars behind me started to pull out of the waiting line of cars to go through on red. They met car head on comming around the blind bend.

Once I had got through them - on red as they never changed in 10 minutes of waiting - I phoned the Police. I was informed that the company concerned were on there way to fix them. I asked if some Police Officers could be sent to prevent an accident and explained what had happened. All she said again was that the company were on the way. I said "so you are not going to send anyone to prevent an accident?" and she did not reply. I told her how useless I thought she was and hung up.

[accyman]

just a thought..

if roundabouts are so good then why have they started fitting traffic lights in them like at whitebirk?

[Neil]

Originally Posted by accyman

just a thought..

if roundabouts are so good then why have they started fitting traffic lights in them like at whitebirk?

Because they work well together at peak times but better as a roundabout when its quieter.

[MargaretR]

When I lived in Belthorn I used that crossroads twice a day and always sighed with relief when I had crossed safely. The steep approach to the junction from the Knuzden side means that drivers crossing on the road from Ossy to Guide did not see them until the last few seconds, and that road is notorious for excessive speed.
There will always be 'amber gamblers' - a roundabout is more likely to reduce accidents.

[accyman]

amber gamblers seem to be more these days , perhaps instead of a few sets of lights having cameras for people jumping red they should all come with cameras instead of speed cameras on motorways where here isnt realy much use for them

they could make a fortune on dillhall lane ,you get at least 6 cars jumping red causing you to stop even though you lights have been on green for a good 5 seconds or so

[Benipete]

Can someone explain why when the lights turn to green motorists still stop at the junction?
Very annoying.

[Neil]

Originally Posted by Benipete

Can someone explain why when the lights turn to green motorists still stop at the junction?
Very annoying.

Because some idiots up there have not been stopping late at night when they are on red. That was another reason LCC gave for not putting traffic lights up there. They said some people would ignore them during the night because it is so isolated up there and that could be more dangerous than leaving the crossroads as it was.

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by Neil

Because some idiots up there have not been stopping late at night when they are on red. That was another reason LCC gave for not putting traffic lights up there. They said some people would ignore them during the night because it is so isolated up there and that could be more dangerous than leaving the crossroads as it was.

Well, surely if they were going to ignore the lights late at night they wouldn't just steam right through without stopping they'd stop and look just like they do now. There was never accidents in the dead of night at this crossing so LCC have a lame argument there

[Neil]

Originally Posted by jaysay

Well, surely if they were going to ignore the lights late at night they wouldn't just steam right through without stopping they'd stop and look just like they do now. There was never accidents in the dead of night at this crossing so LCC have a lame argument there

I think the problem is when a car goes through on red and one is coming across it at speed because their light was on green.

It was just one of the reasons for not putting lights up. The main being that it does not meet the current requirements for lights, mainly I think because of the approach from Knuzden.