Stafford Western Access Route.

Len's Lens

Well-Known Forumite
As I have said before …….
Most coming from Halfords / Screwfix will likely be turning left & a lot of them will be heading for the right hand turn lane into Foregate.
Most coming from Lidl / Wickeswill be turning right and a lot them will be heading for the left hand lanes (x2) into Forgate.
Both of these traffic flows have a green to go, but many of them will be confused as neither are sure of priority (it seems)...
Yes - that does sound pretty dangerous! So Halfords and Lidl traffic are both turning towards Foregate Street and having to cross paths in order to be in the correct lane to turn left or right on the A34 within a very short space of time and distance, so decisions have to be made extremely quickly, leading to accidents.

Having said that, I am very surprised that some forumers and Staffordians are not aware that you have allow oncoming traffic going straight on or turning left, right of way before you turn right at a junction. These are basic elementary driving skills.
 

Len's Lens

Well-Known Forumite
Couldn't the solution be to allow a few seconds gap between the greens on the Lidl and Halford side, to allow one side to clear the junction, before allowing the other side to proceed? Similar to the Aldi/St George's junction. They used to go green simultaneously but then was quickly altered so St Georges would go 1st, then a few seconds later, Aldi traffic would go. It was certainly a lot safer.
 

airbusA346

Well-Known Forumite
Yes - that does sound pretty dangerous! So Halfords and Lidl traffic are both turning towards Foregate Street and having to cross paths in order to be in the correct lane to turn left or right on the A34 within a very short space of time and distance, so decisions have to be made extremely quickly, leading to accidents.

Having said that, I am very surprised that some forumers and Staffordians are not aware that you have allow oncoming traffic going straight on or turning left, right of way before you turn right at a junction. These are basic elementary driving skills.

Is it really surprising though? Many don't know what a red light means.
 

airbusA346

Well-Known Forumite
Couldn't the solution be to allow a few seconds gap between the greens on the Lidl and Halford side, to allow one side to clear the junction, before allowing the other side to proceed? Similar to the Aldi/St George's junction. They used to go green simultaneously but then was quickly altered so St Georges would go 1st, then a few seconds later, Aldi traffic would go. It was certainly a lot safer.

It would only really help the first/second car leaving the junction though, and then you would be back to the traffic from Lidl etc trying to turn in front of the Halfords side traffic.
 

Len's Lens

Well-Known Forumite
I see your point. When I leave work, the traffic around there always seems sparse so I'm not aware of how busy that junction is getting during the daytime. If the lights turned green for one direction only, then cars would be backed up on the A34 waiting to turn onto the SWAR from both directions and preventing straight ahead traffic flow on Foregate Street, so that wouldn't work - it would make the junction safer to the expense of the main A34.
 

Raven

Well-Known Forumite
Yes - that does sound pretty dangerous! So Halfords and Lidl traffic are both turning towards Foregate Street and having to cross paths in order to be in the correct lane to turn left or right on the A34 within a very short space of time and distance, so decisions have to be made extremely quickly, leading to accidents.

Having said that, I am very surprised that some forumers and Staffordians are not aware that you have allow oncoming traffic going straight on or turning left, right of way before you turn right at a junction. These are basic elementary driving skills.
Exactly Len.
At least someone else can see the issue.
 

GNM67

Well-Known Forumite
Possibly do the Halfords and Lidl lights alternatively.
So the new road, then Halfords,then the new road, then Lidl
 

Cue

Well-Known Forumite
So just to clarify, what actually occurs at the lights? Are two opposite lanes of traffic going green, or perpendicular ones?
 

PeterD

ST16 Represent.
So just to clarify, what actually occurs at the lights? Are two opposite lanes of traffic going green, or perpendicular ones?
2 opposite, you have the traffic from Wickes side and Halfords side going at the same time, both have the option to turn but across each other. It's a nightmare. In all likelihood in the future I will turn out near the job centre if I am on Halfords side or turn left along the new road if I am on Wickes side.
 

proactive

Enjoying a drop of red.
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Raven

Well-Known Forumite
So just to clarify, what actually occurs at the lights? Are two opposite lanes of traffic going green, or perpendicular ones?
Yes both opposites are green at the same time the same as most other box junctions.
 
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