QUOTE (JeffG @ Sep 12 2010, 10:30 AM)
What exactly are they complaining about? The new layout works well, IMO.
http://www.newburytoday.co.uk/News/Article...articleID=14500NEW road markings near the Sainsbury’s roundabout in Newbury have been branded by some councillors “potentially dangerous”.
The changes to the markings on the road by the roundabout at Sainsbury’s and Bear Lane, on the A339, have infuriated some members of Greenham Parish Council, who claimed that they are resulting in traffic chaos as drivers struggle to negotiate the new lanes.
The roundabout falls just outside of their parish boundary, but as the A339 is the main access route into Greenham, chairman of the parish council, Tony Forward, said he is baffled as to why the parish council was not consulted on the alterations as the problems stretch back into its area.
He said at a parish council meeting on Wednesday (8): “It’s always been a problem roundabout with speeders, now there is an issue regarding the right turn into Sainsbury’s. I’m very confused trying to understand what the overall scheme is. This will have a knock on effect, right across Newbury.”
The work was undertaken at the end of August as West Berkshire Council looked to resurface the carriageway, update the traffic signal controller and create new road markings and traffic signs.
Greenham parish councillor Phil Barnett said the alterations were adding to the congestion.
“It’s a very important road in the town, and the changes were was supposed to stop traffic backing up. Drivers don’t know what lane they are supposed to be in, it’s a complete waste of time.”
Chris Austin, also a Greenham parish councillor, said it was common local knowledge that the roundabouts were better, and ran smoother, when the lights weren't working.
West Berkshire’s executive member for highways, David Betts (Con, Purley-On-Thames), defended the changes, and said the council did its best to ensure traffic flow was improved.
He said the rephasing of the lights still needed to be completed, and while he had not used the road from the Greenham direction, he said from his personal experience, the changes were better.
“Any judgements on the effectiveness would be premature at this stage. The rephasing of the lights means we should have less congestion, not more,” he added.