It's time for a rant!!!!
I thought the reason for taking up hectares of country side to build roundabouts was to enable the free flow of traffic at junctions.
I thought that the purpose of traffic light was to control the flow of traffic in restricted spaces.
Surely the two systems of allowing traffic to change direction not compatible. Unless as a result of poor planning there is a space restriction on a roundabout they do not work together.
So why has the Highways Agency built a massive new 3 roundabout, flyover and slip road junction at Bluebell Hill, (J3 of the M2) and installed 16 (or is more) sets of lights as part of it's plan.. coming from the Dover direction to get onto the the A229 into Chatham you have to get through 5 sets of lights one way or 9 (yes nine!) the other (sign posted) way round..
At 1a.m. of course every light is against you and the roads are all empty ......
Why are there lights there in the first place?
Why can't they be switched off at less busy times?
Who pays the electricity bill to keep a light burning (close to 100 really) all day and all night?
At 5p.m. there are queues back onto the motorway in both directions...
They don't appear to be doing much of a job, can we try with them switched off for a few weeks?
At any time.... the supermarket near by has got lights stopping all traffic to in the Maidstone direction to let people out of it's car park.
Surely the few customer from Maidstone can go via the roundabout so you need only stop the one lane?
Is there a need to stop the traffic for a car park exit? (and why should they be on all day and all night?)
I sent them this email
No reply as yet
Join the campaign call or email the Highways Agency and ask them these questions... maybe they will stop and think next time even if it is too late for this mess and trees and homes that went to create it
Phone: 08457 50 40 30, Email: ha_info@highways.gsi.gov.uk