Actually, coming from the south and turning right, I can't see how it can be obvious which lane to be in, since you can't see round the corner. Also, old habits die hard.

Well, I found it OK, can't see what all the fuss is about. Not sure what you mean by "old habits die hard".

People turning right to go to Sainsbury's from the ring road always used the left hand lane, as was required. They are not suddenly going to change overnight without some "road layout changed" warning. That's what I meant.

I must be misunderstanding all of this as I would have thought that if you intended to turn right the best place to be would be the right hand lane, not the left.

Sigh! You probably are. I am only saying how the previous road layout and lane markings used to be, and people are used to that:

Right hand lane here, then left hand lane here.

Precisely right and if I had not read on here that the lane for Sainsburys is now the right hand one I would not have known and would have gone to the left one (no road layout change signs). Was quite funny though as a Sainsburys delivery van in front of me was correctly in the right hand lane but another Sainsburys delivery van was in the left hand lane so if they don’t yet know which lane to be in !! It is breaking old habits but hopefully it won’t take the grey matter long to remember !!!

Give-up JeffG; Bloggo is brilliant and right all the time.

Thanks Iommi. but I would not say all of the time.

OK, that is a bit of an exaggeration... nearly all the time! Like me!

modest too

I see Greenham Parish Councillors are up in arms about the new markings.

Personally I don't see the problem - all you have to do is read the markings and stay in lane.

I suppose it may be trying for any strangers to the area.
Having to stay in lane and go ROUND a roundabout would come difficult to those who are used to just cutting across them!

But then if you're a stranger, it's the only version you know.

Still getting use to how smooth the surgace is now. No potholes to dodge.

What exactly are they complaining about? The new layout works well, IMO.

http://www.newburytoday.co.uk/News/Article...articleID=14500

NEW 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.

Isn't the use of the word "dangerous" a tad melodramatic?

It's not as though the road is mined or there are spike to impale transgressors

Thanks for the link. I expect they are peeved because they didn't put in a separate lane for horses and carts. Just how long is it going to take for regular users to get used to the new layout? I managed it on my second trip. The direction/flow of traffic is much more natural now.

Seems like someone wasn't paying attention to the new lane markings...

http://www.newburytoday.co.uk/News/Article...articleID=14514

http://www.newburytoday.co.uk/News/Article...articleID=14701

They've certainly changed the phasing this morning. Coming from Bear Lane towards Sainsbury's the first lights only allow 3-4 cars through and the set for A339 Southbound are at red so the queue backs up across the Northbound lanes. Which causes Northbound traffic to queue across the Bear lane exit. Which causes, well, you get the picture...

What was wrong with the original phasing?

Perhaps it was working reasonably OK so something had to be done!

Let's say that Parkway becomes full of destination stores... How exactly are the thousands of people coming to town expected to reach it??? Maybe we should have looked at the infrastructure first!!!