Newport Road Tesco Traffic Lights

ben0239

Well-Known Forumite
The issue of Tesco's are well documented on this forum i.e poor location, design and inadequate traffic management at the access and egress of this store.

However my issue is to do with the traffic light that controls the access to the site from the town center side, adjacent to the Chetwyn Centre. For those of you who are not familiar with the light, it controls the traffic entering the site from the town center side, its on a very small filter lane and in front of give way markings.

My issue is that this light is on RED for far too long which cause additional traffic congestion on the Newport Road. The only time this light needs to be on RED is when pedestrians are either crossing the road at TESCOs or when traffic is turning into Tesco's from the Station/Highfields end. However, I would question the need even then as there is already give way markings there, so if any cars were turning into Tesco's from the Station end people coming from the oposite direction would merely give way. All other times the lights should be on green to allow the traffic to flow into the Store and prevent cars being stuck behind them that wish to carry on straight on the Newport Road.

Currently the light is on RED, even when there is no cars entering the site from the oposite side which is uneccesary and requires looking at.
 

MarkyD

Marcus
What I hate about that slip road is it's only big enough for one and a half cars. So every oneelse has to get stuck behind the second car who's obstructing every driver who wish's to go straight on towards the railway the bridge. Also causes drivers to use the second lane to cut around the cue which cases some to cut you up, it's not exactly a wide road with it being a dual lane. Poor design.
 

joshua

Well-Known Forumite
So whats to stop folk using their common sense and ignoring it (when its safe of course)?
 

ben0239

Well-Known Forumite
What I hate about that slip road is it's only big enough for one and a half cars. So every oneelse has to get stuck behind the second car who's obstructing every driver who wish's to go straight on towards the railway the bridge. Also causes drivers to use the second lane to cut around the cue which cases some to cut you up, it's not exactly a wide road with it being a dual lane. Poor design.

Thats my point.... it is so frustrating both for drivers turning into Tesco and drivers wishing to go straight on, and there is no need for that red light as stated above. It keeps you waiting there even when there are no cars entering Tesco's from the oposite side.

On numerous occasions, (when there are no pedestrians wishing to cross and when there are no cars turning into the lane) I have just used my common sense and ignored the RED light and treated it as a normal give way. But the situation does need to be sorted as it seems just an obvious error by the person who designed the system.
 

darben

Well-Known Forumite
But the situation does need to be sorted as it seems just an obvious error by the person who designed the system.

You will never get them to admit they have made a mistake, the nearest it got, is when they dug it all up and put it back again!
 

MarkyD

Marcus
What gets me is before they worked on that junction and re-did the lights most people (coming from the railway) would go on green instead of waiting for the filter light. So anyone using the slip road (on green) would go and almost get hit by the other car coming in on the wrong light. Surely it would be better to put a give way? I can't see what made them think a light would be better...
 

ben0239

Well-Known Forumite
The current situation of having a give way and a light that is on RED far more than it needs to be seems ludicrous and it wouldnt take much re-programming to rectify. As stated by others on this discussion, doing something as simple as altering the setup of the lights will dramatically improve the flow of traffic on the Newport Road.

It seems to me, that so far the council/Tesco have re-dug up the lights, and changed the road layout on the Newport Road but missed the simple obvious problem. Which should be to allow a better flow of traffic into Tesco and subsequently ease the congestion on the Newport Road which could be easily solved.

Does anyone know who is responsible for these lights and the inadequate programming??
 

staff4ord

Well-Known Forumite
In the USA you can turn right on a red signal as long as you treat it as a give way. The problem in Stafford is that some drivers abuse the current system we have. So if it's changed it will get abused even more. Besides we shouldn't need to change the road traffic act in drivers favour if the planners and designers were any good at there job.
 

Gramaisc

Forum O. G.
This stretch of Newport Road has been improved to the point where I very rarely use it any more. I haven't been in Tesco for two years now. Perhaps the commercial pressure of my absence isn't sufficient to provoke further infrastructural enhancements..


I wonder if having the lights' order reversed would help at all..?
greenontop.jpg
 

proactive

Enjoying a drop of red.
I have reported to issue to Staffordshire County Council and will keep you all informed of the outcome.

Am i right in thinking that Henry's Cat is involved with the Highways Dept??
Don't think so. I think he's just their chief apologist.
 

My Name is URL

Well-Known Forumite
I have reported to issue to Staffordshire County Council and will keep you all informed of the outcome.

Am i right in thinking that Henry's Cat is involved with the Highways Dept??

Good work Ben, let us know how you get on.

On occasion, think its annually, the Chamber of Commerce also send out a survey asking if there are any "quick fixes" like this that could cut congestion.... might be worth dropping them a line?
 
5

52.8N-2.1W

Guest
Not impressed with dominos pizza staff standing outside with honk if you're hungry banners on a dangerous junction like this.
 

phildo

Well-Known Forumite
They need to take another look at the whole junction - It's almost impossible to exit the petrol station and turn right towards the cinema when it's busy, we sat at the exit for about 5mins last night and in the end just had to risk pulling out in front of the traffic leaving the store.
 

henryscat

Well-Known Forumite
The Petrol station is in completely the wrong place. Short of moving the petrol station not sure what you could do...
 
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