Westbrook/Asda traffic lights

[Bazj]

Originally posted by BazJ:

Originally posted by Paul Kennedy:

Probably wise Peter...seems it is an area best avoided.

I used to think that about Appleton.... far too stuck up and posh for my liking!!

Think you misunderstood my comment BazJ, I was saying avoid it because of the lights problem not the area/people in general.

 

Well you won't be the first politician to say something with a thousand different meanings to a thousand different people Paul!!

[AdrianR]

strange white markings with numbers have appeared along the pavement between twenty acre road and the lights. Indication of the proposed widening scheme?

[disgusted]

strange white markings with numbers have appeared along the pavement between twenty acre road and the lights. Indication of the proposed widening scheme?

 

So now we get 8 weeks worth of expense, not cheap I dare say, and lose more greenery in that area, rather than just admitting they got it all wrong and re-instate the roundabout? Well done Councillor Axcell, or Captain Chaos as he is also known.

[Bazj]

It is in Thursdays Guardian. An announcement that there will be road diversions etc. while they build a bus lay by and add another lane. No turning off Cromwell into Ladywood or Westbrook Crescent. Don't these idiots ever listen to the public opinion?

 

I fancy a trip to the Town Hall one night when they are having their cosy chats on how to screw up the towns road networks.... anyone fancy joining me? Maybe a bit of public disquiet on the first full council meeting after the election may do the trick. Might give them something else to think about apart from their expenses

[disgusted]

It is in Thursdays Guardian. An announcement that there will be road diversions etc. while they build a bus lay by and add another lane. No turning off Cromwell into Ladywood or Westbrook Crescent. Don't these idiots ever listen to the public opinion?

 

I fancy a trip to the Town Hall one night when they are having their cosy chats on how to screw up the towns road networks.... anyone fancy joining me? Maybe a bit of public disquiet on the first full council meeting after the election may do the trick. Might give them something else to think about apart from their expenses

Baz I would, I am sick fed up of this incompetence. They have already "retired" the planner who made the initial nonsensical decision, so why they feel it is a matter of losing face not to re-instate the junction when there was never an issue when a junction was there is beyond me.

 

Unfortunately I work in Leamington, so Mon-Fri I cannot be there. I fear it is now too late anyway, clearly they are going ahead with this latest "improvement" whatever any of us have to say. And believe me I have sent plenty emails on this subject to my local councillors, including links to this thread, and lately to Councillor Chaos, who has still not replied to my email following his poo-pooing of our complaints.

[Bazj]

Oh it is most certainly too late. The trough snufflers have already made their decision without any public input. Obviously a few blokes in Hi-Viz jackets and 5 video cameras for 3 days is more than enough to evaluate what needs doing.

 

Of course they are intending to start all this work just in time for the summer rush on Gullivers....... can you guess what will happen? Where is that recently re-elected local stalwart and pillar of the community Councillor Earl? The last correspondence I had from him was back in October last year.... 7 months isn't that bad I guess!! mind you, he is probably sat patting himself on the back for yet another 4 years of expense claims to look forward to. If he is the local Councillor he should be listening to the bloody public and be opposing all this massive waste of money; which don't forget doesn't just come out of the Westbrook fund... this overspend will mean less services elsewhere. So kids in Westy might not get a new playground because the money has been spent over here!!

 

Bloody diabolical and typical council management of a situation.

[disgusted]

Oh it is most certainly too late. The trough snufflers have already made their decision without any public input. Obviously a few blokes in Hi-Viz jackets and 5 video cameras for 3 days is more than enough to evaluate what needs doing.

 

Of course they are intending to start all this work just in time for the summer rush on Gullivers....... can you guess what will happen? Where is that recently re-elected local stalwart and pillar of the community Councillor Earl? The last correspondence I had from him was back in October last year.... 7 months isn't that bad I guess!! mind you, he is probably sat patting himself on the back for yet another 4 years of expense claims to look forward to. If he is the local Councillor he should be listening to the bloody public and be opposing all this massive waste of money; which don't forget doesn't just come out of the Westbrook fund... this overspend will mean less services elsewhere. So kids in Westy might not get a new playground because the money has been spent over here!!

 

Bloody diabolical and typical council management of a situation.

Last email I had from Earl, was yet again telling me that re-instating the roundabout was not an option, as pedestrians have to be taken into account, and crossings put in place.

 

I cannot for one second understand why the crossings cannot stay exactly as they are, with the old rounabout re-instated? It is a perfectly workable, and far more freeflowing arrangement.

 

Even my daughter of 15 years who doesn't pay much attention to the roads (as you'd expect of a 15 year old) said as we sat there on Friday night - "why have they put these stupid lights here, there was ntohing wrong with the old roundabout?"

 

A 15 year old non-driver can see it, so wtf is wrong with our supposed representatives?

[Bazj]

Cos they can't claim expenses for all the "Work" they do in relation to it if it wasn't there!

[wahl]

this sounds like the last chance for some of the "traffic planners" and councillors. "Get this wrong again and you are fired" as Sir Alan said. Perhaps the planners need to be fined for incompetence as well if and when it goes wrong?

[observer]

Perhaps we could line the road with crucified incompetant officers - might send a message to the rest?!

[AdrianR]

Did i read the plans right - Another set of pedestrian lights in LADYWOOD ROAD. Who for???? How many cars go in and out of there (an handful at each set of lights)? How many pedestrians cross that road?

 

These plans will not work. Even on quiet times the q's are significantly worse than with the roundabout.

 

PLEASE PUT IT BACK. Add two (yes only two) puffin crossings, 50m from the roundabout for crossing cromwell and westbrook crescent (as like at Old Hall Road roundabout) and low and behold it will work.

 

Cost? a damned sight less as most of the electrics etc are there alrerady and just need moving. Add about 30 curved kebrs and 2 tons of concrete - VOILA!!

[disgusted]

I have had a reply from Councillor Chaos, however it has the usual worthless legal disclaimer at the foot, so I have asked if I can quote him on the reply, and also asked for further clarification on the points he's made before I post any of said points.

 

I will say however, that his reasaoning for refusing to reinstate the roundabout is full of more holes than a rusty sieve.

[Legion]

so now they're adding a bus lane is that right...

thereby admitting that they have now created a traffic problem.

 

and this road widening for the bus lane...helps pedestrians how.

 

they crossed quite safely before, its not like it was an accident blackspot.

 

I think the national press need to get involved now, lets expose these morons for what they are.

[wahl]

I agree with AdrianR these latest plans will not work.

especially as there is an attempt to prevent traffic entering ASDA by banning right turns on Westbrook crescent.

 

the only sensible answer is get rid of the lights and put the roundabout back. sod the pedestrian crossing excuse.

 

these so called planners are like the labour party always right so long as someone pays for the rectification of their incompetence. stop this work now and replace with roundabout.

[Bazj]

and by banning right turns into ASDA they are effectively moving all the cars down to the roundabout where the school is.... a move which was rejected when ASDA were trying to expand the store.

 

Come On CLLR Earl and any other councillors who care about them wasting our money.... when are you going to stick your head above the parapet and stick up for the wishes of those you represent and stop this waste of money

[AdrianR]

http://www.warrington.gov.uk/Transportandstreets/Roadshighwaysandpavements/improvement_works.aspx

 

go to this page and click on the link for a PDF of the handout thats being post round

[Legion]

well last time I was on, I instigated a petition on the government petition website to get this put back to a roundabout.

 

it has now been passed to downing street for approval of the petition.

 

Ill post a link to it if it gets approved.

 

 

Ive just seen the plan AGGGGHHHH!!!!!!!

 

 

its like something out of a Douglas Adams novel with this council, honestly you couldnt invent this level of in-adequacy.

 

1. the no right turn does as pointed out cause all traffic to go past the school DANGER !!!

2. the traffic which is goin toadsa would have to go to the next juntion,and go through the heavy pedestrianted, no pavement UCI/ASDA DANGER DANGER !!!! or double back on itself and go through the no right turn by going left (so effectively entering the same place, although as usual there is no problem with the cars that were turning right anyway, its the ones exiting asda !!!

3 nice to see filter lanes for people entering ladywood, and the aforementioned pedestrian crossing for the what? 40 cars a day that may actualy use that DEAD END ROAD !

4. the left turn lane involves road widening at god knows what cost, and interuptions, and the wider you make the road the more traffic it encourages, thus defeating the purpose of the pedestrian crossing.

5. the additional traffic island...FOR WHAT ??? what does that do...NOTHING just costs us money !!!

[AdrianR]

They say they cannot put the roundabout back and they did consider the two puffin corssings. In that case the rousnabout at Old hall school shoudl be ripped out as well as that has a puffin crossign adjacent to it. That must be dangerous.

 

Its just bloodymindedness. They wont admit they got it wrong. When this still doesnt work it will eb christened the ?1m traffic lights. I'm sure the Dily mail et al will love to know then all about it.

[disgusted]

http://www.warrington.gov.uk/Transportandstreets/Roadshighwaysandpavements/improvement_works.aspx

 

go to this page and click on the link for a PDF of the handout thats being post round

It appears they have now removed all information on that page.

[disgusted]

They say they cannot put the roundabout back and they did consider the two puffin corssings. In that case the rousnabout at Old hall school shoudl be ripped out as well as that has a puffin crossign adjacent to it. That must be dangerous.

 

Its just bloodymindedness. They wont admit they got it wrong. When this still doesnt work it will eb christened the ?1m traffic lights. I'm sure the Dily mail et al will love to know then all about it.

 

Apparently having done some digging, there are two main reasons why the rounabout won't go back in:

 

1. They can't re-instate the roundabout as was because if anyone was to get hurt crossing where the new (current) lights would have been, the council may get sued due to removing the pedestrian crossing.

 

2. They can't put a roundabout in with pelican crossings on each arm, as rules have changed since those such as the ones further down Cromwell were installed, and the minimum distance off a roundabout that you can place lights has been increased.

 

So looks like we'll have to suffer the expense, and long term uselessness of the now "retired" ex-head of planning's incompetence.

[Bazj]

http://www.warrington.gov.uk/Transportandstreets/Roadshighwaysandpavements/improvement_works.aspx

 

go to this page and click on the link for a PDF of the handout thats being post round

It appears they have now removed all information on that page.

 

I have uploaded it to here....

 

http://www.yourfilelink.com/get.php?fid=462957

[AdrianR]

As a lawyer I dont rate the argument about getting sued. I'd be more than happy to defend that claim but Council legal departments generally dont have the bottle or nous to do so.

 

As a partner at a firm once told me "if you dont succeed in private practice you'll end up at a Local Authority".

 

Why cannot they extend the leftturn lane on cromwell the whole length back to the twenty acre road roundabout. This extra lane will only hold about 10 or so cars and less if there is a bus. How will that get rid of the q's back to the peace centre.

 

BTW the last LTP was critcised as WBC hadnt done enough to alleviate congestion and as a result, lost out on further grants. I will of course be inviting the DFT to visit these lights and make the same conclusion.

[P J]

Have I just been very lucky of late of have the queues lessened over the last few weeks? I came through yesterday at 17:20 and there were only 2 cars waitng at the lights in front of me. The same thing at 17:10 the day before. Please do not see this as me in any way supporting these traffic lights, they're just my own personal observations.

[AdrianR]

I think people have been avoiding it.

 

I know at 7.45 when I go out ot get my bus, that the q's are backl beyond 20 acre road. When Gullivers kicks out at Weekends they are awful as they are at Asda at weekends.

 

Letting Ladywood have their own sequence doesnt help . Sometimes 1 or 2 cars only come out. Why they cant fade through with the Westbrook Cres lights?

[disgusted]

and by banning right turns into ASDA they are effectively moving all the cars down to the roundabout where the school is.... a move which was rejected when ASDA were trying to expand the store.

 

Come On CLLR Earl and any other councillors who care about them wasting our money.... when are you going to stick your head above the parapet and stick up for the wishes of those you represent and stop this waste of money

I see they are also in discussions with ASDA about making another exit road onto Cromwell avenue, the very same thing I was previously told was completely unfeasable by councillor Earl and therefore couldn't be considered.

 

I also love the comments on that document which states feedback from the public:

 

*Excessive queuing....delays of five minutes or above are frequent. Five minutes! Five?! God if it was only five I'd be delighted!

 

* Traffic queues from junction extending back into Asda car park. So blocking right turns will help this how????

 

* Difficulty turning right into and out of Asda car park which sometimes causes traffic to queue back blocking the junction.

I have yet to see the junction being blocked becasue of this, with the queues along Westbrook trying to get through the Cromwell lights, you're normally let straight through on a right turn, this has not worsened in any way since the changes, the exit has worsened becasue now the lights cause a backlog, which will now be exacerbated by blocking those wanting to turn right out of Asda.

 

* Concernm over use of Pedestrian Crossing equipment and long wait times for 'green man'

What are these concerns?

 

* Lack of public understanding of how to use the new pedestrian equipment.

Surely this is a wind up? Or are they admitting they are not being used by pedestrians who had no problem previously crossing this road?

 

* Dangerous driver behaviour, overtaking or u-turning particularly on Cromwell avenue.

That would be u-turning to avoid the 25 minute tailback I presume?

 

* Nuisance caused by increased pollution.

Shocker eh? By inserting lights where cars have to stop as opposed to flow freely, there's more pollution, my gast is flabbered.

 

* Safety concerns to drivers & pedestrians caused by the new junction.

Now call me a fool, but this was non-existent when there was just a roundabout, so what is slightly modifying this set of lights going to do?

 

*Poor pedestrian access to Ladywood Road. Since the changes, this has to be a joke surely?