September 2017
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News Council apologises after traffic light snags leave drivers trapped for hours
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“software problem” associated with new traffic lights being installed around the Aztec West Roundabout led to hundreds of motorists being trapped for hours in huge queues that formed during the evening peak on Wednesday 2nd August. Motorists attempting to exit the Aztec West Business Park reported having to wait for as long as two hours in tailbacks that had formed along the park’s internal roads. Despite traffic levels on the rest of the local road network being light, traffic signals controlling the flow of traffic out of the business park were changing to green for just a few seconds on each cycle. It was also reported that lights on a newly installed pedestrian crossing on the slip road to the northbound A38 were remaining on red for lengthy periods, despite there being no one waiting to cross. One Journal reader commented: “I work on Aztec West and have experienced the deterioration of the traffic management system. Last night reached a new low. In the morning I got to work in 20 minutes. Last night, having left work at 4.30pm, I finally got home at 7.45pm.” Speaking on Radio Bristol the following morning, South Gloucestershire Council’s head of transport and streetcare Mark King described the incident as
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“unacceptable” and apologised to those who had been trapped. A council statement issued later put the blame on “a problem with the software that controls the lights”. In a recent update provided to the Journal, SGC has confirmed that the traffic signals on and around the Aztec West Roundabout “are now working as intended”. A spokesperson added: “We will continue to monitor the operation of the signals and we may carry out some minor adjustments to ensure that they work as effectively as possible for all users, and that our signals are in sync with those managed by Highways England.” “The pedestrian crossing lights on the A38 immediately north of the roundabout are working as intended. This is not a regular, stand-alone pedestrian crossing – these new crossings are part of a sequenced traffic signal system that includes a pedestrian crossing facility. The entire roundabout is in effect a series of signalised junctions and we have balanced priorities to aid movement of pedestrians.”
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