Study will identify the best options for dangerous junction in Oakley (From This is Hampshire)
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Study will identify the best options for dangerous junction in Oakley
1:40pm Friday 26th October 2012 in News By Emily Roberts, Chief Reporter
TRAFFIC could be forced to slow down at a junction in Oakley.
Hampshire County Council will carry out a study to investigate the best options for the junction of Fox Lane and Pack Lane in Oakley, after the parish council reported there was poor visibility there and confusion over who has the right of way.
At a meeting of Oakley Parish Council, Cllr Bob Frankland reported that he met with the county council to discuss the problem, and two possible solutions were presented. He said: “One looks at measures to slow the traffic down along Fox Lane and improve the visibility for those coming into that junction from Pack Lane. They will do the study on that and come back to us before they take it any further. That option would be £30,000 to £35,000.”
The second option is to install a compact roundabout costing £250,000.
Cllr Frankland said that option is too expensive now, but the county council will create a “technical design” of the roundabout so that it may be implemented in the future.
Cllr Rodney Scott, chairman of Oakley Parish Council, said: “The compact roundabout is the solution but that’s way into the future. At some stage it might be adopted but these interim measures will improve the situation.”
Cllr Frankland said the main problem at the junction is who has priority. The county council was always concerned about accidents and “incidents”, he said “and if they can slow traffic down the likelihood of an accident goes down and if they can improve visibility the likelihood of an incident goes down”.
Comments(5)
Sam_Walker123456
says...
2:59pm Fri 26 Oct 12
Obey the speed limit.
For the crossroad in question the first rule is that traffic on Fox Lane has priority over traffic on Pack Lane - there are even helpful road signs and markings to remind drivers in Pack Lane to give way. Traffic wishing to turn right from Fox Lane into Pack Lane must give way to oncoming traffic. Traffic wishing to turn left out of Pack Lane into Fox Lane must give way to traffic coming from their right. Traffic wishing to turn right out of Fox Lane is last in the pecking order and must give way to all other traffic.
Half of the problem is that people try to be polite and flash their lights to let others go first. The Highway Code gives one reason to flash your lights and that is to warn others that you are there. It goes on to say that if you think the driver flashing is giving way to you then proceed with caution. So the outcome is confusion and delay or worse confusion followed by an accident.
By the way my brother-in-law could make a roundabout for £650 :-)
theKman
says...
4:16pm Fri 26 Oct 12
There, £250k saved! The inefficient public sector would probably pay a planning consultant £2.5m for that advice.
LesFrèresCrucy
says...
5:53pm Fri 26 Oct 12
'Hmmmm....we can paint a few lines down and maybe stick in bollard or something.'
"Oh, I was looking for something a bit more, you know, hardcore."
'For £250,000 you'll get a compact roundabout - it'll sort it right out mate, trust me.'
"What's a compact roundabout?"
'You know those small humps in the middle of the road painted white that you're supposed to go round but everyone drives over the middle of, yeah? It's one of them.'
"That's very small though, isn't it?"
'No, it's maximising efficiency.'
"I'll take it."
Best_Name_Ever
says...
4:19pm Sun 28 Oct 12
theKman wrote:.....or just ask the Hampshire Highways Authority who are responsible for such things. But you probably know better.
It should be quite clear to road users who have passed their driving test. Those broken lines on the road and the signs saying "Give way" mean you do not have the right of way.
There, £250k saved! The inefficient public sector would probably pay a planning consultant £2.5m for that advice.
Opinions_opinions says...
2:39pm Fri 26 Oct 12