Junction 11

[RoyalBlue]

The council has a real problem with traffic lights. None more so than down the A33. What was the need to replace the roundabout by PC World with Traffic Lights? What was the need to place traffic lights by Kennet Island?

Virtually all councils seem to have a problem with traffic lights - maybe they get some sort of gain from the likes of GEC Traffic Automation etc. Why else would you mess up roundabouts that over the years have worked really well to keep traffic flowing freely by installing traffic lights on them. The lights break up the flow, make it much more difficult to move into the right position on the roundabout and then ensure that queuing traffic blocks the exits!!

[Wycombe Royal]

The council has a real problem with traffic lights. None more so than down the A33. What was the need to replace the roundabout by PC World with Traffic Lights? What was the need to place traffic lights by Kennet Island?

Kennet Island was obvious. THere was no way of turning right out of Kennet Island or left from the tip. When the plaaning application was put in for Kennet Island a requirement of the consent was for a new junction to be built to be paid for by the developer. THis junction WAS needed.

As for traffic lights over roundabouts - as well as allowing them to control the traffic flow (or bugger it up depending on your viewpoint) they are also safer. The roundabout by Rose Kiln Lane regularly saw minor accidents becuase the traffic going down the A33 used hardly slow down when approaching the roundabout makingit very difficult for cars pulling out from the direction of the retail park.

[Harpers So Solid Crew]

disagree, Kennet island could have had access towards the East, no need to make a junction at all, tip traffic always used to turn left onto bypass, then make way back.
They could have cut off the road behind BJ bingo, and then allowed Kennet Island residents turn right or left on the old Basingstoke Road, would have worked with a bit of thought..

[Wycombe Royal]

disagree, Kennet island could have had access towards the East, no need to make a junction at all, tip traffic always used to turn left onto bypass, then make way back.
They could have cut off the road behind BJ bingo, and then allowed Kennet Island residents turn right or left on the old Basingstoke Road, would have worked with a bit of thought..

They didn't want to put traffic on to the old Basingstoke Road, they needed Kennet Island to have access to the A33 in both direction rather than having to head towards the Madejski and then head back up the other side. That puts more pressure on the roundabout by the Madejski and the A33. Same goes for traffic coming out of the tip and having to go up to the Rose Kiln Lane junction and perform u-turns. Not having that junction places a lot more constraints on other roads and it doesn't cause anymore delay to traffic using the A33 due to the other traffic lights already on the road. To be honest it isn't even worth arguing about those lights as there were a necessity.

This junction as I said was part of the planning permission for the development and it WAS needed.

[westendgirl]

tip traffic always used to turn left onto bypass, then make way back.

Did your see the contortions the refuse lorries had to go through to 'turn right'. They used to turn left then left again to the Thames Water road, then do a 5 or 7 point turn around the traffic island to then turn right out of there.

Even for a car a U turn at the lights was worrying as cars coming down from the Brunel shops area would not look right but just steam out of their slip road.