Posters in bid to reduce pollution at Thatcham level crossing Options

[Berkshirelad]

I cannot understand why many drivers just sit in their cars with the engine running.
I have always switched off if I wait for more than a couple of minutes with no foreseeable movement.

In the wet - like today - it will immediately steam up unless the HVAC is kept running. On hot days - only occasional, I know - you need the HVAC to keep you cool; especially so if you have had to stop in direct sunshine On cold days, again, you will need to keep HVAC running to keep the car warm and defrosted.

Also, to turn over a cold engine requires upwards of 150 Amps from the battery - it can only do that a few times before going flat.

Cars fitted with start/stop technology work quite differently - to start with, the engine is turned over differently from the usual starter motor/ring gear method.

[Strafin]

Rubbish! Cars without AC do OK all the time, and you only need to start your car once and then the alternator starts charging your battery again.

[Andy Capp]

When I use the road, I can handle a couple of minutes wait. The nuisance is not knowing how long the barriers will be down. If you knew it would be 20 minutes, one could seek an alternative route. The problem seems to be the gravel train and the slow trains from Newbury.

Then there's the location for the car parks. I don't think a worse train station design could be made if it was done deliberately; coupled with the entrance/exit for the industrial estate. It's a cluster f***.

[Nothing Much]

Is there a Benyon plot?
The problem seems to be the gravel train
ce

[Biker1]

Makes me laugh how they do this and yet you have to go all the way down to the Swan Roundabout and back up the hill to get to the tip.
Now that's pollution for no reason.
A right turn with lights or a roundabout would save it all.

[Timbo]

A right turn with lights or a roundabout would save it all.

I think practically, on that road how it's currently set up is the best way. It's annoying, I admit, because I actually went to the tip tonight and experienced just that. However it's a 50mph road which is very busy especially in rush hour, it would not be good for traffic flow, would cause accidents and congestions, IMO.

[JeffG]

I'm just wondering what the difference in pollution would be between driving down to the roundabout and back up, and idling at a red traffic light waiting to turn right. I was going to say swings and roundabouts, but that would be too much like a pun.

[x2lls]

Rubbish! Cars without AC do OK all the time, and you only need to start your car once and then the alternator starts charging your battery again.

Exactly, a bit of understanding of the mechanics of the motor car!!!

[Biker1]

I think practically, on that road how it's currently set up is the best way. It's annoying, I admit, because I actually went to the tip tonight and experienced just that. However it's a 50mph road which is very busy especially in rush hour, it would not be good for traffic flow, would cause accidents and congestions, IMO.

There is already a roundabout at the retail park and another at the Swan.
And traffic lights at the college.
What difference would another make to traffic flow / congestion?

[blackdog]

Is there a Benyon plot?
The problem seems to be the gravel train
ce

It's not actually a gravel train - it takes agregate from quarries in Somerset up to some ginormous depot in London for road repairs etc.

[Timbo]

There is already a roundabout at the retail park and another at the Swan.
And traffic lights at the college.
What difference would another make to traffic flow / congestion?

Have you ever had to stop at the traffic lights during rush hour? It causes quite large tailbacks for the short time period.

And uhhhhhh maybe the fact that one road then takestwo seperate directions, a roundabout is perhaps a good idea in those situations...?

[Biker1]

And uhhhhhh maybe the fact that one road then takestwo seperate directions, a roundabout is perhaps a good idea in those situations...?

Don't be condescending with that silly "uhhhhhhh" remark.There is no need for that, it makes you look the stupid one because you cannot co-ordinate your reply without insult.
The road takes a separate direction at the tip also - to the tip!!.

[Timbo]

Hmm, no I just type exactly how I talk!
The difference is that the tip is not a major (or infact a minor) route.

By that logic every single junction should have traffic lights or a roundabout... eg houses, car dealerships...

[Andy Capp]

Putting lights or roundabout in will also cause traffic to stop on a rise which isn't ideal either, although I'm confused how we got to the tip after starting at Thatcham station!

By the way, with Sandleford almost in the bag, I can imagine the Thatcham situation getting worse.

[Biker1]

By the way, with Sandleford almost in the bag, I can imagine the Thatcham situation getting worse.

And the tip!

[Biker1]

The difference is that the tip is not a major (or infact a minor) route.

By that logic every single junction should have traffic lights or a roundabout... eg houses, car dealerships...

OK I see your point.
I still think the volume of traffic to the tip warrants an exception due to the length and terrain of having to go to the Swan and back.
Anyway, back to the unsolvable (due to cost) problem of Thatcham crossing which was built back in the days of minimal road traffic and now has an issue due to the by-pass being built on the wrong side of Newbury.
The council can't afford a bridge
Network Rail are not interested because it doesn't affect them and there is no incentive for a private developer to contribute.
Yet another by-pass needed?
Told you so comes to mind.

[andy1979uk]

OK I see your point.
I still think the volume of traffic to the tip warrants an exception due to the length and terrain of having to go to the Swan and back.
Anyway, back to the unsolvable (due to cost) problem of Thatcham crossing which was built back in the days of minimal road traffic and now has an issue due to the by-pass being built on the wrong side of Newbury.
The council can't afford a bridge
Network Rail are not interested because it doesn't affect them and there is no incentive for a private developer to contribute.
Yet another by-pass needed?
Told you so comes to mind.

takes about a minute to goto the roundabout and back again ?

[Biker1]

takes about a minute to goto the roundabout and back again ?

We are talking about pollution and damage to the environment here on this thread, not time taken!!

[Timbo]

We are talking about pollution and damage to the environment here on this thread, not time taken!!

Fair enough.
p.s it's good we came to an agreement.

Although I think overall the solution in place is the right one. The compromise would be to add a middle section for right turns only but this would be abused and still cause people to slam their brakes on.

A bigger problem with pollution would be at night where the traffic lights stop you for 2 minutes while no-one is coming. The lights should default to the main flow (eg on Hambridge Road crossroads, the A4/London Roads would remain green at all times from say 11pm-6am unless a car triggered an alternate sensor. And it should skip the sequence to allow that side the rights to go rather than cycle through 3 different light combinations to let some non-existent traffic through.

[Biker1]

A bigger problem with pollution would be at night where the traffic lights stop you for 2 minutes while no-one is coming. .

This happens all over the country.
Many traffic lights could be switched off outside peak hours to save pollution.