disgusted Posted December 20, 2008 Report Share Posted December 20, 2008 Would you believe it, not content with the atrocious Westbrook traffic lights, and seemingly unable to learn from their mistakes, now the latest fiasco is upon us. WBC plan to remove all the contra-flows that actually help slow traffic, and add an extra NINE speed humps to the existing SEVEN that litter this road. Apparently there have been complaints that the contra flows slow traffic! Seriously, the contr-flows are doing their job, being as they are adjacent to a primary school and busy play park, so now instead they'll be dug up at great expense and replaced by speed "cushions" that do not slow drivers. They do of course reduce tyre life, in my case from the 20,000 I used to get for my fronts, to around 10,000 I now get since moving into the Callands Road area, whereby my tracking is continually knocked out of kilter, and the insides of my tyres are prematurely worn down. Is this development sponsored by Kwik Fit, just as the Westbrook lights must have been sponsored by Tesco! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazj Posted December 20, 2008 Report Share Posted December 20, 2008 Just another lot of Christmas back-handers for the councillors involved then I guess! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted December 20, 2008 Report Share Posted December 20, 2008 Be interesting to know if "the Councillors" knew about it; that's part of the problem, Officers running the show! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P J Posted December 20, 2008 Report Share Posted December 20, 2008 I think the complaints about the contraflows were more concerned with them being sited on bends which made them pretty dangerous for motorists. Callands Road is badly designed from a motorist and pedestrian point of view. The bus stops are positioned across at least 2 junctions causing danger to people crossing and cars having to get past buses. One of the bus stops at the junction of Callands Road and St. Asaph drive is ridiculous. It spans 3/4 of the junction and is the place that buses stop and wait to syncronise the route times meaning buses can be parked for up to 10 minutes. This causes danger for pedestrians trying to cross as they must go in front of or behind the bus. As cars are prone to speeding up a little to pass the parked buses the likelihood of accidents is increased. I know of 2 young people who have been seriously hurt in accidents on Callands Road and I do not think the "cushions" proposal will work as the planners think. In a bus,van or even an average car these cushions do not slow down traffic as you can just go straight over them without slowing down. Peoply fly down this road well in excess of the speed limits even with the contra flows so without them this will become Warringtons newest drag track. I for one will be filling in the form I recieved through the post and returning it with my thoughts. I suggest Fatshaft and any others concerned do the same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
disgusted Posted December 20, 2008 Author Report Share Posted December 20, 2008 I know of 2 young people who have been seriously hurt in accidents on Callands Road and I do not think the "cushions" proposal will work as the planners think. In a bus,van or even an average car these cushions do not slow down traffic as you can just go straight over them without slowing down. Peoply fly down this road well in excess of the speed limits even with the contra flows so without them this will become Warringtons newest drag track. I for one will be filling in the form I recieved through the post and returning it with my thoughts. I suggest Fatshaft and any others concerned do the same.PJ, my thoughts exactly. I have already fired off my form, and indeed followed it up with an email to the two local councillors, plus councillor Chaos, and the two gentlemen listed on the letter we received who have warrington.gov email addresses. I agree with the bad siting of the chicanes, but moreso with your point that the speed bumps do nothing whatsoever to slow traffic, cars simply straddle the humps and drive at normal speed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P J Posted December 20, 2008 Report Share Posted December 20, 2008 Be interesting to know if "the Councillors" knew about it; that's part of the problem, Officers running the show! I know for certain that the relevent Parish Councillors were not privvy to this information Observer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdrianR Posted December 22, 2008 Report Share Posted December 22, 2008 My 4x4 cruises over them so at least i'll be okay doing at least 30 along the whole stretch now without slowing down. Brings it back into play as a short cut to avoid traffic going to gemini I jest of course save that my car does go over them without any problem, however they dont slow down many cars anymore and how many time have they had to be reapired. The one by the nursery disintegrated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
disgusted Posted December 28, 2008 Author Report Share Posted December 28, 2008 My 4x4 cruises over them so at least i'll be okay doing at least 30 along the whole stretch now without slowing down. Brings it back into play as a short cut to avoid traffic going to gemini I jest of course save that my car does go over them without any problem, however they dont slow down many cars anymore and how many time have they had to be reapired. The one by the nursery disintegrated. Just this week I was negotiating the speed humps at Gresford heading towards Carmarthen at my now normal 20mph (I've paid enough in worn tyres and reset tracking) when this arsehole in a BMW roared past me before swinging in in front of me to negotiate the Carmarthen CLose contra-flow. So while the speed humps continue to do nothing (although I slow for them) the contra-flow did at least make him slow down. To remove them, but install more ineffective speed humps is just bizarre. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
disgusted Posted January 1, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 1, 2009 Be interesting to know if "the Councillors" knew about it; that's part of the problem, Officers running the show! I know for certain that the relevent Parish Councillors were not privvy to this information Observer. It would appear this is correct. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Kennedy Posted January 1, 2009 Report Share Posted January 1, 2009 Guess we need a Boris Humps: Boris says No. Mayor of London Boris Johnson has written to the Boroughs urging them to look for alternatives to road humps. Previously Transport for London has been zealous in demanding more and more humps despite the evidence from Barnet that dehumping has actually reduced accidents. London Assembly member Brian Coleman has led the battle against humps and is naturally jubilant. He says: ?We have now won the argument. Even Transport for London, the previous bastion of all that was wrong in highways management, has recognised that humps have to go. ?I am delighted that the Mayor shares my view and is directing all of London to adopt the wise approach which I pioneered in Barnet in the teeth of lazy, right-on thinking that failed Londoners in the delivery of safer highways.? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
disgusted Posted January 20, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2009 In a long reply today from one of the engineers listed in the consultation document, in which it is clear that this scheme is going ahead, he concludes with the following: The closing date for replying to this consultation was the 12th January 2009, and 74% of the respondents support the proposals and 26% did not support the proposals. I presume 15 in favour and 5 against? Paul, do you have a link to the quotes you posted above? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wahl Posted January 20, 2009 Report Share Posted January 20, 2009 The "engineers" appear to be a law to themselves/ Should not this scheme been passed through the Traffic committee perhaps it has and if so then the objections etc should have been shown in the minutes and appear not to be Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
disgusted Posted January 26, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 26, 2009 The "engineers" appear to be a law to themselves/ Should not this scheme been passed through the Traffic committee perhaps it has and if so then the objections etc should have been shown in the minutes and appear not to be Believe it or not, having drafted a long reply over the weekend exoressing my astonishment at the views put forth, I get a very quick reply this morning that this scheme is now on hold, and alternative schemes are going to be considered. Seems like the councillors may have been well ahead of me on this one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter T Posted January 26, 2009 Report Share Posted January 26, 2009 People power!!!!!!????? Or perhaps they have run out of money and need to do a bodge-up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P J Posted January 26, 2009 Report Share Posted January 26, 2009 People power!!!!!!?????Or perhaps they have run out of money and need to do a bodge-up. Or perhaps they have realised that there are certain procedures which must be met before any decisions can be made. I know we should be able to trust this department implicitly, especially after they straddled Callands Road with such fine examples of traffic planning and management, namely the lights at Westbrook and Calver Road, but sadly for some reason I do not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazj Posted January 26, 2009 Report Share Posted January 26, 2009 Speaking of Calver Road PJ, just come past there not 15 minutes ago and there are workmen doing something on the little islands in the middle of the road..... maybe they are removing the traffic lights!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P J Posted January 26, 2009 Report Share Posted January 26, 2009 Well they might as well as at the moment they are nothing more than a hazard as they block sight lines etc. If they are never to be turned on get rid and eat the humble pie, if there is any left over after the Westbrook debacle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdrianR Posted January 27, 2009 Report Share Posted January 27, 2009 Some have already been removed. Driving from Westbrook, check the pole int he middle of the road - 2 sets have gone. Perhaps being used elsewhere as they have no purpose there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P J Posted January 27, 2009 Report Share Posted January 27, 2009 Some have already been removed. Driving from Westbrook, check the pole int he middle of the road - 2 sets have gone. Perhaps being used elsewhere as they have no purpose there The removal of these lights was brought up at the last Parish council meeting but I can't believe the relevent department could be acting so quickly on the request to remove them. If they have done then well done to whoever is responsible Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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