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Part-time traffic signals may be the answer at roundabout
Over recent years news about the Grange roundabout has featured regularly because of safety and/or delays to traffic.
At the end of January 2008 the Halesowen Area Committee agreed to take over responsibility for the A456 and to spend £1m on rearrangement of the Grange roundabout.
Surprisingly, there has been little publicity about this decision; although there is a plan of the proposals in Halesowen library and apparently comment can be made until the end of April.
The rearrangement consists of an enlargement of the central island, mainly to the west, and re-jigging of the entries to the roundabout.
There are also slightly lengthened left turn lanes in Grange Hill and A456 eastbound.
The enlargement of the roundabout will increase vehicle time on the roundabout and hence reduce traffic flow.
It will certainly not fulfil an intention of the Access Study; to encourage traffic to use the by-pass rather than clogging up the roads in Halesowen town centre.
The basic traffic safety problem is that modern vehicles can traverse this roundabout at high speed, which is dangerous with so many vehicles competing to traverse a small space.
The proposed changes will not significantly change this situation and hence there will be little if any improvement in safety. The excessive angling of the Grange Road left turn to Birmingham introduces a new hazard, as only drivers with owl vision will easily see the traffic behind them on the roundabout.
Surprisingly this extremely dangerous location is suggested as a principal A456 crossing point. Also the re-arrangement of some entry roads will require pedestrians to cross three lanes of traffic, rather than the existing maximum of two lanes of traffic.
Sadly the proposed changes have little understanding of pedestrian requirements and hence their safety is worsened.
So the intriguing question is why does Dudley MBC want to spend £1m on a scheme that worsens traffic flow and pedestrians' safety and does not improve vehicle safety?
Interestingly, the Grange roundabout works quite well at most times and the problems are mostly at the morning and evening rush' periods.
Part time traffic signals at all the exits for these periods would improve traffic flow, traffic safety and pedestrian safety.
I gather that DfT do not now favour part-time traffic signals, although they are still in use all over the country and new part-time signals have just been provided on the north entry at M5 junction 3!
Perhaps someone can explain why the cheaper and more effective arrangement of part-time traffic signals is not being adopted or at least trialled?
John Young,
Halesowen
4:46pm Thursday 27th March 2008
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CommentPosted by: Reg Shoe, Halesowen on 4:26pm Fri 28 Mar 08
Worsening traffic flow is the overall master plan. Having banjaxed as many of the local roads as possible and vastly increasing congestion the good old motorist can then be blamed for causing these problems and then some new tax can be introduced to "combat" the congestion problems. Part time signals that would help fly in the face of that policy and offer no new revenue streams in the future.
On at least 3 out of 5 right turns off the bypass towards Halesowen in a working week I have to take evasive action against people pulling out in front of me. It often seems to me that they actually wait until I'm really close before pulling out. I've even had to come to a complete stop on occasions in the middle of my turn to avoid an accident. Despite having clear right of way! Traffic signals may at least remind a small percentage of these morons to wait their turn. Although the downside is that they may then survive long enough to breed. As you point out the roundabout is an absolute free for all at rush hour. It desperately needs attention. Attention that doesn't simply amount to painting, unpainting and repainting various stripes for no obvious purpose.
Worsening traffic flow is the overall master plan. Having banjaxed as many of the local roads as possible and vastly increasing congestion the good old motorist can then be blamed for causing these problems and then some new tax can be introduced to "combat" the congestion problems. Part time signals that would help fly in the face of that policy and offer no new revenue streams in the future.
On at least 3 out of 5 right turns off the bypass towards Halesowen in a working week I have to take evasive action against people pulling out in front of me. It often seems to me that they actually wait until I'm really close before pulling out. I've even had to come to a complete stop on occasions in the middle of my turn to avoid an accident. Despite having clear right of way! Traffic signals may at least remind a small percentage of these morons to wait their turn. Although the downside is that they may then survive long enough to breed. As you point out the roundabout is an absolute free for all at rush hour. It desperately needs attention. Attention that doesn't simply amount to painting, unpainting and repainting various stripes for no obvious purpose.
Posted by: s.francis, Romsley/Halesowen on 7:10am Wed 2 Apr 08
You can have meetings till the cows come home everyone, you will get no where to what the sensible driver and pedestrian wants, I have tried for many years, my final last attempt was with the Highways that eventually came out with it's present study, I begged for traffic lights, somewhere for pedestrians to cross, no chance we'll enlarge the island, I said that means there's even beigger no man's land?...no money you see?..I said a rial of traffic lights from Lickeys famous traffic lights, no they said!....the biggest problem driverwise at this island is dreivers WILL NOT use traffic signals, you can be about to cross fro Grange Hill side and suddemtl a car coming the opposite way turns right in fron t of you, you are then stick in no man's land and then have to judge, do you continue or stop and get a madcap hit you coming from Quinton side?..the meeting I was at, so as the halesowen MP, all she talked about was her bad leg, well dopne Sylvia, how would you get across the Roulette island like that then?....of course, you use a chauffer, poor old sole you!
You can have meetings till the cows come home everyone, you will get no where to what the sensible driver and pedestrian wants, I have tried for many years, my final last attempt was with the Highways that eventually came out with it's present study, I begged for traffic lights, somewhere for pedestrians to cross, no chance we'll enlarge the island, I said that means there's even beigger no man's land?...no money you see?..I said a rial of traffic lights from Lickeys famous traffic lights, no they said!....the biggest problem driverwise at this island is dreivers WILL NOT use traffic signals, you can be about to cross fro Grange Hill side and suddemtl a car coming the opposite way turns right in fron t of you, you are then stick in no man's land and then have to judge, do you continue or stop and get a madcap hit you coming from Quinton side?..the meeting I was at, so as the halesowen MP, all she talked about was her bad leg, well dopne Sylvia, how would you get across the Roulette island like that then?....of course, you use a chauffer, poor old sole you!
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