4
www.stokegiffordjournal.co.uk Reader comments on the BSJ & SGJ Facebook pages KG: OK, so is it just me or are the road planners on some kind of LSD? If not they are certifiably crazy. The way the roads are planned and run is just a laugh (without the humour)! AC: I just despair at the sheer stupidity of the council. At night anyone who doesn’t know they are there will just assume there is no traffic on the roundabout as they will see no lights and sail across without slowing down or looking. Madness. MB: More “blinding screens” than “visibility” ones! If you call them with the right name, does it still sound like a good idea? JH: Thought there was already something to slow vehicles without hinder visibility called speed bumps? I know of roundabouts with rumble strips that slow you down without losing visibility and are tried and tested so these ridiculous green walls seems crazy MR-C: This is stupid, people who “misjudge their approach speeds” are the same people who will completely ignore these massive reflective eye sores and will speed onto the roundabout anyway. RVC: Perhaps the council could reduce accidents further by blindfolding drivers so they can’t drive down the road to cause an accident? Reducing visibility doesn’t reduce speed, as fog always demonstrates, and will increase the danger for all when emergency vehicles have to enter this roundabout. BS: Being able to anticipate the movement of traffic on a roundabout is a key tool to driving correctly and efficiently when approaching them. Reducing visibility seems down right stupid. PJ: Not sure about this idea, but there are plenty of people willing to pull out in front of you on this roundabout. DH: Quite apart from anything else it’s ugly - wouldn’t planting look better and achieve the same result?
t: 01454 300 400
January 2020
News Visibility screens: Council’s letter circulated prior to installation Background
Collision records show that there is an issue with vehicles on the B4057 over-running give way lines at Hatchet Road roundabout and colliding with vehicles on the circulatory carriageway. Funding has been prioritised to address this issue by providing visibility screens on the B4057 approaches, to reduce vehicle approach speeds.
Purpose of the scheme
The purpose of the scheme is to reduce the number of collisions occurring, by reducing vehicle speeds on the B4057 approaches. Currently, the very good visibility on the approach to the roundabout means that drivers can make a very early decision as to whether to enter the roundabout or not; consequently, these drivers do not reduce speed
significantly, and some misjudge their entry leading to a collision. The provision of screens which reduce forward visibility forces drivers to slow down and wait until they approach the give way line, where they regain visibility, to make a decision on whether to enter the roundabout or not. Such installations have been successful in reducing collisions at similar sites (including A4174 Wraxall Road, in South Gloucestershire).
Proposed scheme
It is proposed to introduce visibility screens on both B4057 approaches to the roundabout. The screens will be dark green in colour and approximately 1.8 metres in height.
h me Find your perfect home with Ocean Bradley Stoke – give us a call today… Call: 01454 205 070 Mail: bradleystokesales@oceanhome.co.uk
oceanhome.co.uk
To advertise in this magazine or on our websites, phone The Journal’s sales team on 01454 300 400