Bristol traffic lights debate - should they stay or go?
Traffic lights on roundabouts should be done away with altogether. People have forgotten how to use roundabouts.
For instance, a couple of weeks ago the lights were turned off at the roundabout at the end of the M5 going to Avonmouth. Traffic was running better while they were off but there were still some drivers stopping while on the roundabout to let traffic on. This could have caused an accident.
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The rule is give way to the right on a roundabout so if you are on the roundabout you keep going to your exit.
I think Bristol and South Gloucestershire councils have got an abundance of traffic lights left over that they want to get rid of so it's an "I know we have a roundabout that needs lights, lets put them there to make the traffic worse" attitude.
Phil Cooke,
Speedwell.
● ON Sunday I left Oldland Common to go on to the M32 along the Avon Ring Road. It was fairly early and hardly any other traffic on the road.
I was stopped at five sets of traffic lights en route – four of them at roundabouts.
What made it worse was that when the lights turned green they only let me a quarter of the way around the roundabout to the next red light.
Firstly, apart from the extra fuel wasted and electricity being used why can't these signals be programmed to turn off when traffic is very light? Surely the sensors in the road can do this?
On my return journey on Saturday the traffic was heavy, the lights at junction one of the M32 at Hambrook were turned off for maintenance but the traffic was moving with no problems.
Enough said!
Nick Gould,
Oldland.
● I THINK we need to seriously consider the problems that would arise if we abolished traffic lights at some roundabouts.
At Filton, near Airbus, there is a traffic light-controlled roundabout where there would be serious danger if the lights were not there.
This used to be a very difficult place to get onto the roundabout and just as difficult to get off again.
Such roundabouts without lights also constitute an even worse danger for cyclists, whom we should be encouraging to use their bikes by assuring their safety.
JT,
Bristol.
8 Comments
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by Golffie, Bristol
Monday, November 09 2009, 11:33AM
“says it I live just off the ring road and use it every day, recently they were working on it, and it was down to one single lane, there were long tail backs, because the lights were holding people up rather than let them go when nothing was coming round the round-about. one day the lights were broken, and no tail backs?
all”
by Bedminster Fireman, Bristol
Tuesday, November 03 2009, 8:18PM
“I can't recall that many accidents at the Hartcliffe roundabout either. In fact, I have only attended ONE serious accident there in the last ten years. I wonder how much the inevitable traffic tailbacks at these lights will affect our turnout times to Hartcliffe and the surrounding areas?”
by Rob Jones, Brentry
Sunday, November 01 2009, 9:18PM
“JT, Bristol
So you think Filtons air bus roundabout was difficult before the lights. I wouldn't mind betting your a woman. Why don't driving schools introduce extra roundabout lessons,motorway driving and reversing lessons for females.
Traffic lights just waste fuel and time.”
by James, Whitchurch
Saturday, October 31 2009, 12:30AM
“Cllr Dr Jon Rogers says about the number of accidents at the roundabout well i live nearby (where as his ward is in St Andrews)and dont recall that many.My guess is that the records will show that the accidents were probably on the dual carriageways by the roundabout although i did see an increase in incidents with the roadworks going on due to the workmens very poor lane closures which were sometimes dangerous i felt.He also says about the extra 700 workers causing increase but what about the people loosing there jobs at the somerfield office on whitchurch lane(around 1200 people i think)so that means there are less people working around the area once it closes.Already the people i've spoken to today think the lights are just money wasted and will make traffic worse and cause people to rush off the lights which will cause more accidents,lights don't solve everything!also i think Cllr Dr Jon Rogers and his colleagues should ask what the local people think of them once they've been there for a couple of weeks,i bet he wouldn't be happy with what he hears,i'm honestly fed up with councillors and politicians smugly thinking they're right all the time just because they can throw a few figures in the air.Sort it out Dr Jon.”
by Cllr Dr Jon Rogers, Exec Member for Transport
Friday, October 30 2009, 7:41PM
“James of Whitchurch says, "The new lights on the Hartcliffe roundabout are ridiculous,there was no need to put lights there"
I agreed to the switch on today because there have been 53 accidents and 75 casualties in three years at the roundabout. There are now also an extra 700 people working nearby.
The numbers killed and seriously injured on roads in Bristol is continuing to fall, but is still much too high. Speed at roundabouts has been a major cause of such casualties.
Keen to see some trials of switching off traffic lights either full or part-time, but not these ones.”