Buckden WI want to put traffic lights on A1 roundabout amid safety concerns
Cambs WI group fight to make the A1 safe for villagers
Thursday, March 14, 2013
2:55 PM
A VILLAGE branch of the Women’s Institute has warned someone could be killed unless traffic lights are installed at an A1 roundabout.
Members of Buckden WI are calling on the Highways Agency to provide signals which they believe are the only answer to prevent a serious crash.
The WI has a long history of campaigns on national matters but it is the first time the ladies from Buckden have taken on an issue closer to home.
Branch president Patricia King, a WI member for 15 years and nearly four as president, said: “We are very worried about getting in and out of our village. We would like the traffic lights before someone is tragically killed, rather than after a horrific event.”
The idea for the campaign followed a conversation about an accident involving a WI member on a different stretch of road – the driver was left with a broken collarbone.
“I just mentioned the roundabout and I had a sea of hands up,” said Mrs King. “People started saying how dangerous it is to get out on to the roundabout or to get back into the village.”
Tackling the junction from the Perry direction was equally challenging, she said, while vehicles leaving the Shell petrol station added to the complications.
“You really have to take your life in your hands,” she said.
Mrs King said members were concerned that extra traffic generated by planned development at Alconbury would only make matters worse.
“It’s the first roundabout for miles from the north and people come hammering down there,” she said. “The 50mph speed limit is a laugh. I was overtaken by a car transporter the other day.”
At last Tuesday’s WI meeting, all 71 members backed the suggestion of campaigning for improvements.
Mrs King, who said traffic lights might be necessary only at peak times, was due to raise the matter last night (Tuesday) with Buckden Parish Council and is due to meet MP Jonathan Djanogly tomorrow.
A Highways Agency spokeswoman confirmed that A1 upgrades meant the Buckden roundabout was the last after Berwick-upon-Tweed but said there were no plans to carry out any improvements at the junction.
She said: “We have previously investigated potential solutions to side road congestion, including traffic signals.
“However our study showed these would lead to greater congestion and could introduce additional safety problems along this section of the A1.
“The study also concluded that no other improvements were feasible, partly due to the tight constraints at this location.
“Any substantial junction improvement would be inappropriate for the location and would not provide value for taxpayers’ money.”
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5 comments
by the looks of it them oldies shouldnt be on the road anyway, what have they got to worry about!?
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Glen Selfe
Sunday, March 17, 2013
@Rayk I'm sure this is pure genius! I just can't visualise it ... how about letting the Editor have a simple sketch map that can be published to show how it's done? Just make sure your "only solution" allows for ALL the current traffic movements possible, and indicate where your slip road[s], flyover-underpass would be positioned, and list how many [and which] properties adjoining the A1, in the Southern end of Buckden High Street, and the Eastern end of Perry Road will need compulsory purchase and demolition. Clearly you'll find it's really so simple ... or perhaps you might realise why the Buckden roundabout presents rather more problems than those that have been removed from the A1 northwards ... Please do submit your sketch map ... although I not going to be holding my breath in anticipation, and I suspect the Highways Agency won't be offering you any awards in recognition of feasibility against cost benefit!
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John Emm
Friday, March 15, 2013
@Rayk I'm sure this is pure genius! I just can't visualise it ... how about letting the Editor have a simple sketch map that can be published to show how it's done? Just make sure your "only solution" allows for ALL the current traffic movements possible, and indicate where your slip road[s], flyover-underpass would be positioned, and list how many [and which] properties adjoining the A1, in the Southern end of Buckden High Street, and the Eastern end of Perry Road will need compulsory purchase and demolition. Clearly you'll find it's really so simple ... or perhaps you might realise why the Buckden roundabout presents rather more problems than those that have been removed from the A1 northwards ... Please do submit your sketch map ... although I not going to be holding my breath in anticipation, and I suspect the Highways Agency won't be offering you any awards in recognition of feasibility against cost benefit!
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John Emm
Friday, March 15, 2013
I live in Perry,... not many drivers adhere to the 50mph limit on the Buckden stretch of the A1 as I am forever flashed by motorists even when indicating right at the roundabout. The only solution is to remove the roundabout like they have further up the A1 and have a slip road into Buckden and a flyover or underpass for motorists heading towards Grafham water.
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Rayk
Friday, March 15, 2013
Buckden WI raises awareness of the extent to which ever increasing traffic flows on the A1 have multiplied the difficulties of safely negotiating the roundabout no matter from which direction it is approached. More detailed reporting on page 5 of the print edition cites a road traffic collision as experienced by a Buckden resident attempting to enter the village from the South which is just one example of many near-misses and actual collisions involving enteringleaving the roundabout. The base problem is the approach speed of traffic on the A1 from both North and South of the roundabout. Attractive as the suggestion of traffic lights may at first sight appear there is little doubt that the Highways Agency spokeswomen is correct in stating that traffic lights “would lead to greater congestion and could introduce additional [I would suggest “exacerbate existing”] safety problems”. Damage only RTCs from vehicles tailgatingfollowing too closely at inappropriate speeds are a common occurrence on the A1 approaches to the roundabout, and clearly would increase with lights regularly and routinely bringing traffic to a complete stop. I would however strongly disagree with the Highways Agency that “no other improvements were [read “are”] feasible”. Extension of the existing 50 mph limit on both A1 carriageways to the Little Paxton flyover and its enforcement by the installation of average speed cameras over the total length of the limit is feasible, cost effective when set against the overall costs of “accidents” on this stretch of road, would benefit all users of the A1, and also go some way to addressing the concerns of residents of Diddington and Southoe in accessing those villages. Similarly a specifically targeted increase in the total Police funding for road traffic units to not only support enforcement of speed limits, but also proactively deal with problems of mobile ‘phone use, tailgating and sheer driver ignorance as exemplified by the driver who collided with the car on the roundabout because “he didn’t realise he had to stop” are a matter that should become a priority in the remit of the Police Commissioner. Congratulations to Buckden WI for fresh publicity for one aspect of problems of A1 safety that Parish Councils in Southoe, Diddington and Buckden, alongside concerned residents of all three villages, have been pursuing for some considerable time.
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John Emm
Thursday, March 14, 2013