Is there no end to traffic missery in Newbuy?, More developments coming soon! Options

[Iommi]

I read in The Advertiser that concerns are being raised regard the potential for traffic disruption caused by a possible development in Faraday Road (read: guaranteed to happen).

Presumably there'll be more traffic light work done, 'to cope with expected increase in traffic flows'. One councillor asked that perhaps a roundabout could be considered to ease up on the amount of lights in town. He must have mistaken the council for an organisation that gave a sheet on these matters!

Perhaps the 2025 Vision refers to the first date when we might be able to enjoy a roadwork free zone! I wouldn't count on it though.

Mind how you go!

[gel]

And presumably they'll be starting on ALDI soon at old Wheeler's showroom??

So more traffic bottlenecks during that.

[spartacus]

.....can't make an omelette without breakin' a few eggs 'n all that....

[user23]

.....can't make an omelette without breakin' a few eggs 'n all that....

Very true!

[blackdog]

.....can't make an omelette without breakin' a few eggs 'n all that....

Could make a lot of omlettes with the £50k WBC are spending on traffic consultants for the Faraday Road development.

[Iommi]

An omelette, usually a simple snack rich in fat and cholesterol. The thing is, an omelette is something that is usually cooked within in a few minutes with a minimum of fuss.

[TallDarkAndHands...]

Whats missery by the way..... Is that when the misses is miserable?

[user23]

Could make a lot of omlettes with the £50k WBC are spending on traffic consultants for the Faraday Road development.

A quote about the cost of everything and the value of nothing springs to mind.

[Iommi]

A quote about the cost of everything and the value of nothing springs to mind.

Yes..."Never have I greater reason for suspicion than when I am particularly pleased with myself, my faith, my progress, and my alms."

[DrPepper]

Try shopping in Hungerford, many independent shops, cheaper parking - in fact many retailers will refund your parking charges - and not one single traffic light

[x2lls]

Try shopping in Hungerford, many independent shops, cheaper parking - in fact many retailers will refund your parking charges - and not one single traffic light

Agreed, Hungerford is a good place to shop, though not the same diversity of shops as Newbury. And talking of traffic lights. Late afternoon yesterday we went to Lidls and the lights at the Faraday Road/A4 junction were out. Guess what...... not a stopped car in sight. Does anybody have any idea how long they were out? and what the traffic was like later on ? I think it would a great idea if all traffic lights in the town , except those deemed absolutely necessary, such as pedestrian, were switched off one day and monitored real time. Wherever traffic was building up they could be switched on. The result at the end of the day may well be that many were proven to be not the be all and end all that our wonderful road planners appear to think.

[JeffG]

Perhaps the traffic planners should take a leaf out of the book used by most mainland European countries, and just show flashing amber outside peak periods.

[user23]

Perhaps the traffic planners should take a leaf out of the book used by most mainland European countries, and just show flashing amber outside peak periods.

Perhaps they should commission a study to look at the possibility of making some signals part time?

[Iommi]

Perhaps they should commission a study to look at the possibility of making some signals part time?

Hoorah! "...but the survey said..." parp!

[blackdog]

Perhaps they should commission a study to look at the possibility of making some signals part time?

Why spend thousands on a another study by a bunch of experts in telling you what they think you want to hear?

If they want to know how it would work it's easy - switch the lights off. Or (radical thought here) ask the traffic experts on their payroll to come up with an opinion.

[user23]

Why spend thousands on a another study by a bunch of experts in telling you what they think you want to hear?

If they want to know how it would work it's easy - switch the lights off. Or (radical thought here) ask the traffic experts on their payroll to come up with an opinion.

For the same reason one conducts trials with anything I would imagine.

Would you just hand out at new drug on the NHS or would you trial it before hand with an external source verifying your results?

[Iommi]

I agree with user23 on this one. It seems sensible to out-source to people who are meant to be specialists and impartial. The important question, though, is how the results would be used.

[blackdog]

I agree with user23 on this one. It seems sensible to out-source to people who are meant to be specialists and impartial. The important question, though, is how the results would be used.

I would agree if there was no in-house capability - but consultants are, in my opinion, more often than not a waste of money. The most common way for people to use consultants is as a way of having someone to justify doing what consultors wanted to do in the first place.

I'm pretty sure WBC have traffic people - why hire traffic experts if you aren't prepared to trust their opinions? Impartiality is over-rated - and rarely exists, consultants will often be partial to one style of solution of another.

If I was looking to save money in WBC's budget the first thing I would scrutinise would be the use of consultants.

[Iommi]

I understand that, but I'm thinking, what if the council did it in house and it went wrong, they might be blamed for being arrogant and not seeking outside assistance in. I do take your point though; is this a wise use of money and if we need consultants all the time, perhaps we don't need the incumbents that we have at the moment?

[JeffG]

what if the council did it in house and it went wrong?

Well, they could just turn the lights back on again (in this case).

No problem there, and a saving of thousands of taxpayers' money spent on consultants, which this council is far too fond of doing.