Which Bristol traffic lights would you turn off?
Readers have contacted the Evening Post to nominate the junctions where they believe traffic lights should be switched off permanently, at off-peak hours or altered. Here are some of them:
Ashley Road/Sussex Place junction
Tony Kerr
Bedminster Bridge lights (Commercial Road/Redcliff Hill/Clarence Road/York Road/Bedminster Parade junction)
Les
The traffic lights at the bottom of Jacobs Wells Road.
Paul Seddon
T Dennis
The lights on the roundabouts in Avonmouth.
Catherine Bennett
Lights at the bottom of Cotham Brow.
B Ghia
Aztec West roundabout during off-peak hours.
Nick Lockett
Traffic lights along Hengrove Way which impede traffic at the junction with the Somerfield Petrol Station and the entrance to the Hengrove leisure and cinema complex.
Andrew and William Staton
The roundabout joining the ring road with the M32.
Rob Houghton
The traffic lights on St Brendan's roundabout Avonmouth.
Mike Wallace
The Aztec roundabout/M5 turn-off at on the A38 at Almondsbury.
Dr Clive Roberts, Olveston
Junction of Ashley Road, Lower Ashley Road and Sussex Place in St Paul's and traffic lights on Prince Street Bridge by Arnolfini.
Kathy Crossthwaite
Traffic lights on St Andrew's Road, Avonmouth
Julie Watson
Traffic lights at the bottom of Jacobs Wells Road.
Wendy Campion
Redcliffe Way – the bus/car lane (heading towards the M32) on to the Temple Circus roundabout. Old Market/Bond Street towards the M32.
Paul Hewitt
A4174 Avon Ring road junction with A4 at Hicks Gate, near Keynsham
William Wild
Switch off the lights that stop us turning left off the A4 into Clarence Road near Temple Meads – an absolute waste of time
Dave Hares
Quakers Road/Bromley Heath Road T-junction, Downend
John Elliott
Avon Ring Road and Westerleigh Road roundabout junction. And also the set at the Badminton Road and Deanery Road roundabouts.
Peter Woodman
I suggest the pedestrian lights on Southmead Road (near the hospital and shops/Lidl). This could probably be a zebra crossing instead
Chantelle Khan
Every single roundabout that has lights need them turned off. Roundabouts work fine without them – Lawrence Hill is a fine example.
Andy Monks
Turn off the lights at the roundabout where junction 18 of the M5 and the A4 Portway meet. These are an appalling waste of energy even in the rush hour when it is still quiet.
Celia Watkinson
The Old Market roundabout – no need for lights, let the natural traffic flow happen please.
Somersetian
There should be rush hour only lights on the Avon Ring Road, and we could switch the lights off at night as well
Rosemarie Nugent
Callington Road/West Town Lane mini-roundabout
Beverly Clarke
I nominate the Almondsbury interchange roundabout. Roundabouts weren't intended to have traffic lights on them - it negates the entire point.
Also, every single set of traffic lights down Falcondale Road could be safely turned off during the peak hours
Dave Hamer-Siemens
I counted the number of sets I went through in one morning's work - 62! It's an absolute joke. Switch them off Bristol.
JR Wheeler
1 Traffic lights at the bottom of Bridge Valley Road. Traffic down the hill was fine before they were installed.
2 Traffic lights on the Hartcliffe Way roundabout, although they have not even opened yet. This is a snarl-up waiting to happen.
Margaret Swatton
The lights on Redcliffe Way which are meant to allow buses and taxis priority
Paul Boore
Redcliffe Way as you approach the Temple Way roundabout.
David Tibbs
Hicks Gate junction of the A4174 and A4
A4174 Avon Ring Road/A420 Deanery Road junction - off-peak
Sian Thomas
St Andrews Gate roundabout in Avonmouth and the next roundabout in Avonmouth on the A403 (these two roundabouts are joined by Crowley Way).
C Tuttiett
Traffic lights at the bottom of Jacobs Wells Road
Paul Taylor
Bridge Valley Road/Portway junction
Ashley Road/Lower Ashley Road/Sussex Place
Michael Stephenson
Bath Road. At Hartwell Garage TJ Max intersection
Tina Tamlin
Easton Way/Lower Ashley Road. Permanently.
Paul Green
A4174 Station Road/Gloucester Road North/Southmead Road
Sadie Hartley
Hartcliffe Way Wills roundabout
Terry Crimmons
M5/ Crowley Way junction
St Andrews Road/Crowley Way junction, Avonmouth
Iain Sneddon
The set on the Downs crossroads - change it to a mini-roundabout but keep the pedestrian crossing
Anthony Kaye
Tenniscourt Road and Deanery Road junction, Kingswood
Danny Colyer
Bath junction of the M4/A46
Doug Minter
Jacob's Wells Road, Anchor Road and Hotwell Road junction
Jane Parker
A38 Aztec West Roundabout
Filton Roundabout (junction A38, A4174 & Southmead road)
Exit slip road M5 Junction 16 Aztec West
Peter Lewis
Send your suggestions to epnews@bepp.co.uk
5 Comments
by Roger Prentice, Bristol
Tuesday, October 20 2009, 8:56AM
“Everyone who has seen the explosion in traffic lights in Bristol over the last 5 years knows they have made congestion much worse. So who exactly has been making the decisions to continue adding to them? Can EP please hold them accountable?
You have to wonder what they were thinking. Did they fail to notice what was plain to the rest of us? Were they in denial, or forced to follow government policy? Or was it a deliberate attempt at 'demand management' to force us all out of our cars?
If it was the last one, then a reliable and affordable bus service would have been a much better way to do it.”
by Matt Douglas, Fishponds
Tuesday, October 20 2009, 8:36AM
“The lights at the eastville roundabout underneath the M32 cause massive traffic tailbacks up fishponds road during peak hours - its an absolute nightmare. Its the same coming down from the M32 to Ikea and also from Muller Road. In fact, the whole of Muller Road is terrible for lights - it takes an absolute age to get from the eastville roundabout to horfield common.”
by Derek, Jacobs Wells Roundabout
Saturday, October 17 2009, 3:38PM
“A roundabout with lights is an admission of traffic management failure. I drive a taxi and for years this roundabout has been relatively trouble free with the exception of the evening peak. The holdups here are caused in the main by the inadequate phasing of the lights at Merchants Road. Two years ago almost a million pounds was spent upgrading this roundabout with lights and a bus lane. Since then I have been held up on almost every time I have used the roundabout -WHEN NOTHING IS CIRCULATING!. If the Council insist on using lights here they must be PART TIME for peak times only .”
by Delboy, Anchor Road/Canons Way
Saturday, October 17 2009, 3:31PM
“This is one of the main roads into and out of the centre. These lights have an unconscionable delay of over 45 seconds when there is NOTHING happening! They cause unnecessary hold-ups at all times but are a most ridiculous cause of frustration at night!”
by Cllr Dr Jon Rogers, Exec Member for Transport
Saturday, October 17 2009, 11:16AM
“Do readers have recollections of the effects when particular traffic lights have been switched off?
One councillor colleague emailed me to say, "I have witnessed failed lights on three separate occasions on one particular junction, the traffic flowed each time. If you wanted to do a test, may I suggest the lights at the bottom of the A38 where the Winterstoke Road filters in, an easy spot to monitor."
We need to think carefully whether it would be safe to turn the lights off, or make them flash amber. Would it be safe for disabled people, children and parents with buggies crossing the road?
As the Department for Transport Road Safety Manager said on Newsnight, (see FiTroads web site) the trials so far have "only been in places with less traffic". Would it work in Bristol? Are we prepared to run some trials? Would people support us if we did?
Jon”