Wildwood entrance

gilesjuk

Well-Known Forumite
There's a need for a slip road simply because of the volume and speed of the traffic. It is a 40MPH stretch of road and it is better if traffic can brake and turn after leaving the main road. It is why we have slip roads on the motorways, can you imagine the huge variations in speed on the motorway if people had to slow down and then take a 90 degree turn to leave the motorway?

There's probably a lot of accidents around that junction as it is the one way in and out of Wildwood (which is the real problem). Having so many people needing to get in and out of such an estate means some people become impatient and are more likely to pull out fast when it might not be totally safe.
 

Mr X

Well-Known Forumite
gilesjuk said:
There's a need for a slip road simply because of the volume and speed of the traffic. It is a 40MPH stretch of road and it is better if traffic can brake and turn after leaving the main road. It is why we have slip roads on the motorways, can you imagine the huge variations in speed on the motorway if people had to slow down and then take a 90 degree turn to leave the motorway?
Exactly! It seems very much like a backwards step, removing the slip lane.

Maybe SCC want to deliberately cause congestion at the junction so they can install traffic lights in their next new 'improvement' scheme?

In all seriousness though, I know it can be difficult to get off Wildwood as there seems to never be a break in the traffic heading into town on the A34 at peak times. By forcing traffic to slow down to turn in (coming from Cannock direction) it will possibly make it easier to leave Wildwood to turn in either direction? I'm not a regular user if this junction though, what do the locals think? I'm not completely convinced this will help though - there would be denser pockets of traffic as a result of one car slowing down making it more difficult in the long run. Has there been any sign of studies being carried out, like temporary closure of the slip lane?

This is, of course, just an idea based on no evidence. Let me make that clear before I get accused not knowing the facts, again... ;)
 

Withnail

Well-Known Forumite
gilesjuk said:
it is the one way in and out of Wildwood
It isn't.

Mr X said:
it will possibly make it easier to leave Wildwood to turn in either direction?
It might make it easierish to turn right when it is proper snarled but doubt that is a particularly big issue.

People are usually quite civilised at peak times at both Wildwood junctions - not BMW or Audi drivers natch.
 

gilesjuk

Well-Known Forumite
They should install a traffic island. There's enough space for one.

It's what they did along Silkmore Lane when they built the new estate on the old BRC site. It's another one of these "one way in, one way out" estates that actually has less houses than Wildwood (and no shops).
 

Gramaisc

Forum O. G.
A road from the back of Wildwood across to Junction 13?..

Halve the traffic on the Cannock Road exit.
 

proactive

Enjoying a drop of red.
Gramaisc said:
A road from the back of Wildwood across to Junction 13?..

Halve the traffic on the Cannock Road exit.
Across the floodplains and what little greenbelt there is left in Stafford. No thanks. Though i can see the point.

A traffic island would be a good idea, but please God, not traffic lights to disrupt the flow even more.

But lets face it it's been like it is for donkeys so does it really need changing. Perhaps there are more pressing needs for public funds.
 

Withnail

Well-Known Forumite
gilesjuk said:
It's another one of these "one way in, one way out" estates ...
Erm, there really are two ways in and out of Wildwood - i know i'm not imagining it.
 

Withnail

Well-Known Forumite
John said:
Gramaisc said:
A road from the back of Wildwood across to Junction 13?..

Halve the traffic on the Cannock Road exit.
Across the floodplains and what little greenbelt there is left in Stafford. No thanks.
Not the best idea Gramaisc has ever had i concur.

It could avoid the floodplain by sneaking round Acton Hill via Acton Trussell but i dare say it would be a costly affair.
 

Gramaisc

Forum O. G.
Withnail said:
gilesjuk said:
It's another one of these "one way in, one way out" estates ...
Erm, there really are two ways in and out of Wildwood - i know i'm not imagining it.
Three, if you count the canal.

John said:
Gramaisc said:
A road from the back of Wildwood across to Junction 13?..

Halve the traffic on the Cannock Road exit.
Across the floodplains and what little greenbelt there is left in Stafford. No thanks. Though i can see the point.

A traffic island would be a good idea, but please God, not traffic lights to disrupt the flow even more.
Just my little joke, there.

There were actually traffic lights at the top of Radford Bank in the '70s, where the two mini-roundabouts are now..
 

Gramaisc

Forum O. G.
Withnail said:
John said:
Gramaisc said:
A road from the back of Wildwood across to Junction 13?..

Halve the traffic on the Cannock Road exit.
Across the floodplains and what little greenbelt there is left in Stafford. No thanks.
Not the best idea Gramaisc has ever had i concur.

It could avoid the floodplain by sneaking round Acton Hill via Acton Trussell but i dare say it would be a costly affair.
Tunnel - what's the problem with that?
 

proactive

Enjoying a drop of red.
Gramaisc said:
There were actually traffic lights at the top of Radford Bank in the '70s, where the two mini-roundabouts are now..
I remember (just ;) ), but reckon that the traffic islands work better. Although everything snarls up at rush hour, off peak, traffic islands keep things flowing much more smoothly.
 

Withnail

Well-Known Forumite
John said:
hard and get shunted up the @rse.
While we're on the subject, may i express my utter astonishment that such a comment has not been jumped on by the oo-er brigade.

If only there were some sort of subscription i could cancel.
 

Gramaisc

Forum O. G.
Withnail said:
John said:
hard and get shunted up the @rse.
While we're on the subject, may i express my utter astonishment that such a comment has not been jumped on by the oo-er brigade.

If only there were some sort of subscription i could cancel.
You could 'subscribe to this topic' below - and then cancel, if that makes you feel better, or just more sanctimonious...
 

Gramaisc

Forum O. G.
John said:
Gramaisc said:
There were actually traffic lights at the top of Radford Bank in the '70s, where the two mini-roundabouts are now..
I remember (just ;) ), but reckon that the traffic islands work better. Although everything snarls up at rush hour, off peak, traffic islands keep things flowing much more smoothly.
The islands were a vast improvement on the itinerant car-park that used to be there in what was laughingly called the 'rush hour'..
 

gilesjuk

Well-Known Forumite
Withnail said:
gilesjuk said:
It's another one of these "one way in, one way out" estates ...
Erm, there really are two ways in and out of Wildwood - i know i'm not imagining it.
Indeed, but not from the main loop. It's a bit of a detour to go from the co-op around to the part of Wildwood Drive nearest the double roundabouts. It can be even worse turning right there too.

There's also a pedestrian exit and bike lane onto Radford Bank.
 

gilesjuk

Well-Known Forumite
John said:
Although everything snarls up at rush hour, off peak, traffic islands keep things flowing much more smoothly.
That tends to be due to the traffic on Weeping Cross merging with the traffic on Cannock Road. Two traffic streams merging into one.

Not to mention traffic lights on Radford Bank.
 

Jonah

Spouting nonsense since the day I learned to talk
I am totally convinced that the people who make the decisions regarding traffic solutions in Stafford do not actually live in the town and use its road network.
 

Gramaisc

Forum O. G.
Withnail said:
gilesjuk said:
It's a bit of a detour to go from the co-op around to the part of Wildwood Drive nearest the double roundabouts.
It really isn't
It can be even worse turning right there too.
It really is.
Best to turn left and go right round the roundabout - but be ready for people that don't realise that you're going to...
 
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