Councillor Geoff Webber raised concerns at this mornings Area Committee (7 December 2017) that the New Park roundabout was dangerous following lane marking changes.
Lane marking changes have been made so that when travelling from the Harrogate town centre (Ripon road/ A61) vehicles can use both lanes on entry to the roundabout and then need to merger on the exit to the rounabout.
Councillor Webber called for the junction to be returned to as it was before, along with a review. He said there had been several accidents due to the changes and many people had gone to him with concerns.
Councillor Webber said:
In view of the very considerable public concern regarding the safety implications of the new traffic directions at the New Park roundabout in Harrogate, particularly with regard to the restricted convergence distance on the Ripon exit, will he review the current situation and consider returning the traffic directions to pre-change conditions.
North Yorkshire County Council, Area Highways Manager, Nigel Smith explained that the changes had been made to improve the flow of traffic and that additional signage had been erected this week. He wasn’t aware of any accident and said there would be a daytime and nighttime safety audit with the junction needing to settle down with road users getting used to the change.
Harrogate HG1 5PD, UK
Councillor Stanley Lumley commented that he personally used the junction frequently and that people were not used to having two lanes heading towards Ripon around the roundabout and that the space to merge on exit from the roundabout was limited.
Ahh, that’s the solution isn’t it? The way to fix something that wasn’t broken before the crazy changes to the lane marking in the first place is not to put it back to the way it was (which was working perfectly) but to put more street clutter up.
No accidents on this junction? I saw a near accident the other day when two cars both headed for the space on the Ripon side which was only big enough for one.
It’s only a matter of time before someone is badly hurt on that roundabout, especially if they happen to be a pedestrian on the central island while two cars, or perhaps two lorries, compete to get across the junction first.
This round about is a nightmare at the best of times mainly down to the fact motorists don’t indicate properly or more commonly, not all all!! I am not surprised there has been accidents and by the sounds of it, more to come!! Something needs to be done to improve safety and to get motorists to indicate properly.
It is clear that various “merge in turn” junctions and traffic lights around town do not work. This is not down to signage or practice but culture.
I find most British drivers have a real problem in accepting that somebody may be using a (perfectly legitimate) lane with no queue and then feel entitled to stop them cutting in front of them, or merging in turn depending on how you see it.
In other countries, people generally use all lanes available and blend in turn without flinching. That eases traffic and does not become a reason for raising blood pressure (or assaulting somebody as I have experienced).
Case in mention, drive down Montpellier Hill when it is busy, it’s two lanes but drivers only ever use one, so it can queue to the top.
Never mind about the concerns get down there with a Paint brush and some black paint.
Drivers approach the roundabout at breakneck speed heading downhill on the A59. Slow signs are urgently required. The opportunity was missed to improve visibility for drivers heading from the town centre to Ripon when the new flats were constructed!!!
The Harrogate Chamber of Trade suggested that to the NYCC Area Committee, but it didn’t go anywhere. They would have needed a good chunk of money to buy the land!