Stafford Western Access Route.

littleme

250,000th poster!
Just witnessed a close call for potentially the first prang with the new layout as a car turning towards town from the SWAR decided to assume the green light with the arrow pointing left meant he could ignore the red light next to it and go right.

For some reason he thought he was in the right as the car ahead of me started to turn right and pulled out in front of him when our filter went green.
Same happened to me this morning, as I turned right onto halfords/swar, my light was green, but the car exiting swar must have looked at the turn right green arrow, and nearly went into the side of my car,!

Coincidence? Or, a, fault with the lights?
 

Thehooperman

Well-Known Forumite
Same happened to me this morning, as I turned right onto halfords/swar, my light was green, but the car exiting swar must have looked at the turn right green arrow, and nearly went into the side of my car,!

Coincidence? Or, a, fault with the lights?
The turn right light array coming out was definitely on red when the driver I saw coming out of SWAR so I suspect it's just incompetent driving.

It's not like they've changed that filter as far as I recall.
 

airbusA346

Well-Known Forumite
It wouldn't surprise me if there is a smash soon between someone turning right from Madford and someone coming out of Greyfriars Place.
 

Raven

Well-Known Forumite
Almost the same thing in front of me this morning (came very close)
As I have posted earlier they should put a roundabout there and this is what I see on google maps ? Was this the original plan but was kicked into touch ?
 

PeterD

ST16 Represent.
I suppose they don't want a roundabout as they want free flowing traffic towards the new road and a roundabout would disrupt that. That's the only reason I could see them not having a roundabout there.
 

Raven

Well-Known Forumite
I suppose they don't want a roundabout as they want free flowing traffic towards the new road and a roundabout would disrupt that. That's the only reason I could see them not having a roundabout there.
How would a roundabout do that ?, thought it would help.
 

PeterD

ST16 Represent.
How would a roundabout do that ?, thought it would help.
The lights change and then the traffic has a clear run towards castletown, put a roundabout at that point and it almost immediately stops. Don't take that as me advocating against a roundabout, just me thinking that would be the logic.
 

airbusA346

Well-Known Forumite
Almost the same thing in front of me this morning (came very close)
As I have posted earlier they should put a roundabout there and this is what I see on google maps ? Was this the original plan but was kicked into touch ?
It's probably because the updated satellite image still shows the roundabout during the construction works.
 

Len's Lens

Well-Known Forumite
It's not like they've changed that filter as far as I recall.
Yes, there's not much different - although before, there was just an added green left turn filter arrow on the main lights coming out of SWAR joining the A34. Now, there's a separate Red, Amber, Green Left Arrow traffic light. In fact there's 2 of these next to Vivere. Probably the incompetent drivers see the Red & Amber light come on and then start accelerating over the junction to turn right before being disappointed by only seeing a left green arrow. By then though, an accident would have already probably taken place.
 

Thehooperman

Well-Known Forumite
Yes, there's not much different - although before, there was just an added green left turn filter arrow on the main lights coming out of SWAR joining the A34. Now, there's a separate Red, Amber, Green Left Arrow traffic light. In fact there's 2 of these next to Vivere. Probably the incompetent drivers see the Red & Amber light come on and then start accelerating over the junction to turn right before being disappointed by only seeing a left green arrow. By then though, an accident would have already probably taken place.
I think you've hit the nail on the head.

There is are two arrays to turn left so those unfamiliar with the lights could think the middle set of lights is to turn right even though there is a red light on the other array attached to the same post.

Don't understand why they didn't remove the original post by Vivere to avoid the confusion.
 

kyoto49

Well-Known Forumite
I drove to wickes with my friend today and we got held at the red light on the new road immediately prior to the left turn for wickes. Sitting there watching the carnage unfold as the lights went green on the Halfords/Retail park traffic was terrifying. How long before there is a serious accident remains to be seen :(
 

kyoto49

Well-Known Forumite

Lady Geordie Staffordie

A few posts under my belt
Yep. I work for them and I used to work for highways but I'm in another department these days. They were a bit pants when a highway tree crashed into my fence. They did cough up eventually. They were also pants when I damaged my car, on a work journey. They said the potholed layby where I had pulled over for an ambulance was not 'highway land'. Strangely this layby was improved not long after my incident. However . . . . I'm hopeful that SWAR will appreciate this intelligence. We shall see. 😀
 

Raven

Well-Known Forumite
Yep. I work for them and I used to work for highways but I'm in another department these days. They were a bit pants when a highway tree crashed into my fence. They did cough up eventually. They were also pants when I damaged my car, on a work journey. They said the potholed layby where I had pulled over for an ambulance was not 'highway land'. Strangely this layby was improved not long after my incident. However . . . . I'm hopeful that SWAR will appreciate this intelligence. We shall see. 😀
Time will tell but as you know the Big Sir's never admit a mistake and just double down.
Yes they removed the roundabout that was there and needed to be improved for the new road but that will have to wait until a fatality when Big Sir will suddenly find a solution.
 

littleme

250,000th poster!
Yep. I work for them and I used to work for highways but I'm in another department these days. They were a bit pants when a highway tree crashed into my fence. They did cough up eventually. They were also pants when I damaged my car, on a work journey. They said the potholed layby where I had pulled over for an ambulance was not 'highway land'. Strangely this layby was improved not long after my incident. However . . . . I'm hopeful that SWAR will appreciate this intelligence. We shall see. 😀
3rd close call for me today, bare in mind I live in Stafford and leave for work at around 6.25am....so this happens at 6.30am - 6.35am....probably more in rush hours. I may stop using it, the stress of waiting to see if a cars going to drive into the side of me, isn't worth the 3 mins it saves on my journey.
 

Lady Geordie Staffordie

A few posts under my belt
3rd close call for me today, bare in mind I live in Stafford and leave for work at around 6.25am....so this happens at 6.30am - 6.35am....probably more in rush hours. I may stop using it, the stress of waiting to see if a cars going to drive into the side of me, isn't worth the 3 mins it saves on my journey.
Crikey! Sounds terrible. 😕 Not driven it yet - only walked it. I hope these problems are only 'teething' issues.
 

Studio Tan

Well-Known Forumite
I rode my bicycle along the pavement in both directions, stopping occasionally to take a drink from my flask whilst looking over the railings at the swamp below. The pavement seems particularly wide - are there plans to mark an official cycle path ?
 

markpa12003

Well-Known Forumite
I suppose they don't want a roundabout as they want free flowing traffic towards the new road and a roundabout would disrupt that. That's the only reason I could see them not having a roundabout there.

I suspect its more to do with cost and land take. Lights are a cheaper / simpler option.
 
Top