Thatcham Railway Crossing, £83k wasted! Options

[Biker1]

Being built on the only side for which it was VIABLE?

Cheapest (financially, not environmentally).
Lets not get into a by-pass debate.
Been there, done that!

[JeffG]

Been there, done that!

Shades of SPEWBY

[Scorpio]

Yes what an absolute waste of money that is, still the same long delays. What are Road Planners playing at they could not plan anything to ease traffic at al. Next thing we know they will be conducting Traffic Surveys in centre of Newbury during Rush Hour (LOL!!!)

[Andy Capp]

Yes what an absolute waste of money that is, still the same long delays. What are Road Planners playing at they could not plan anything to ease traffic at al. Next thing we know they will be conducting Traffic Surveys in centre of Newbury during Rush Hour (LOL!!!)

The last time I looked, the problem wasn't with road planners but the trains that cut across them!

[dannyboy]

Yes what an absolute waste of money that is, still the same long delays. What are Road Planners playing at they could not plan anything to ease traffic at al. Next thing we know they will be conducting Traffic Surveys in centre of Newbury during Rush Hour (LOL!!!)

but not if you are turning into the little industrial estate.....which was the point of the roadworks.....

[motormad]

To be fair if there is a queue of traffic already formed from the train, which has already reached the roundabout (about 10 cars will do that) then you can't get INTO the industrial estate anyway....

The little junction is only of use

- if the barriers are up and are turning right
- if the barriers are down and you happen to be the first few cars to reach the crossing


It was not and can never be called a good use of taxpayers money. Pathetic.

[dannyboy]

To be fair if there is a queue of traffic already formed from the train, which has already reached the roundabout (about 10 cars will do that) then you can't get INTO the industrial estate anyway....

The little junction is only of use

- if the barriers are up and are turning right- if the barriers are down and you happen to be the first few cars to reach the crossing


It was not and can never be called a good use of taxpayers money. Pathetic.

Unless of course you happen to work there.

Any right filter lane is only of use if you are

A.) wanting to turn right

B.) stuck behind a vehicle wanting to turn right where there is no filter lane.

in this location B is of some importance as due to the frequency of trains, you could find yourself stuck behind a vehicle whilst the barriers are up & then stuck for a longer period when the barriers drop. The lane will remove this senario. Possibly one of the few R filters which is of some importance to the traffic not turning right.

[Biker1]

Yes what an absolute waste of money that is, still the same long delays. What are Road Planners playing at they could not plan anything to ease traffic at al. Next thing we know they will be conducting Traffic Surveys in centre of Newbury during Rush Hour (LOL!!!)

I refer you to post 70 where the reasoning behind the work is explained?

[motormad]

Unless of course you happen to work there.

Any right filter lane is only of use if you are

A.) wanting to turn right

B.) stuck behind a vehicle wanting to turn right where there is no filter lane.

in this location B is of some importance as due to the frequency of trains, you could find yourself stuck behind a vehicle whilst the barriers are up & then stuck for a longer period when the barriers drop. The lane will remove this senario. Possibly one of the few R filters which is of some importance to the traffic not turning right.

You miss my point.

The point behind if you are stuck in the queue for the train and further back then you have to drive on the wrong side of the road (the wrong way around a bollard/central crossing which has arrows on it saying "ONLY PASS ON THE LEFT" to get to it. Ergo you're in the same position as before.

Waste of time and money.

[dannyboy]

You miss my point.

No, I got it first time.

The lane was put in, not to aid those turning R, but to stop those turning R impeeding the flow of traffic behind them.

Pretty simple really.

[Andy Capp]

I've said before, the junction is now laid out how it should have been in the first place. It is whether it represents is good value that is the issue. It does seem expensive, but in the scheme of things, I suspect it isn't the worst use of money. Not when you realise West Berks spent £2,000,000.00 resurfacing Newbury town centre because it in effect 'looks nicer' than the previous and on only recently resurfaced roads.

[Biker1]

I've said before, the junction is now laid out how it should have been in the first place. It is whether it represents is good value that is the issue. It does seem expensive, but in the scheme of things, I suspect it isn't the worst use of money. Not when you realise West Berks spent £2,000,000.00 resurfacing Newbury town centre because it in effect 'looks nicer' than the previous and on only recently resurfaced roads.

I see that's sinking again on the River Bridge.
Bet it's out of warranty!

[Biker1]

Well, it seems the op was correct as on South Today news this morning it was admitted that the works had made no difference!

[Lee]

I was invited to speak on BBC Radio Berks today, also to that effect.

I still believe it was a complete waste of money, the filter lane has made it a nightmare for exiting the station now. No one is willing let to you out just in case they miss the barriers opening... At least you had a chance when someone turning into the postoffice/pub held up the traffic for you.

[motormad]

Well, it seems the op was correct as on South Today news this morning it was admitted that the works had made no difference!

Funny that... that's exactly what I said before this went ahead....

[Andy Capp]

I was invited to speak on BBC Radio Berks today, also to that effect.

I still believe it was a complete waste of money, the filter lane has made it a nightmare for exiting the station now. No one is willing let to you out just in case they miss the barriers opening... At least you had a chance when someone turning into the postoffice/pub held up the traffic for you.

One man's meat is another man's murder. People should not be letting people out at that junction anyway. As it is, giving way there is a hazard.

I don't see it as a complete waste of money, they have only made the junction as it should have been. The stupid thing is to have the industrial estate entrance there in the first place, but those who endorsed that are long dead I suspect. The other one is to have a single lane road to the station car park of course. It makes you wonder who plans these things, or not, as the case may be.