Petition
Thursday 26 February 2009
OBSERVATIONS
Transport
Traffic Management (Essex)
The Petition of Samantha Mitchell and local residents,
Declares that residents are deeply concerned about the safety of the road design at the junction of Climmen Road and Central Wall Road and have noted many accidents at this roundabout junction including injury accidents involving children, and therefore call on the Borough and County councillors to listen to residents and improve the road design in consultation with residents.
The Petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urges the Government to review its guidance to local councils on the design of road junctions where mini roundabouts are used and to ask the local authority to investigate this particular junction and to implement a new and safer scheme after full and detailed consultation with residents.
And the Petitioners remain, etc. —[Presented by Bob Spink , Official Report, 2 February 2009; Vol. 487, c. 671.]
Observations from the Secretary of State for Transport:
Essex County Council is the strategic highway authority for all local roads within the County of Essex, the provision of traffic management on these roads is for them to consider. The Government have responsibility for the strategic highway network which is managed through the Highways Agency.
As part of its role however central government does provide a range of guidance to local authority’s including Traffic Advisory Leaflets, Local Transport Notes and Good Practise Guides. These are regularly updated
based on ongoing monitoring of the performance of engineering schemes that are put in place and can be viewed on the Departments website www.dft.gov.uk.
With regard to the junction of Climmen Road and Central Wall Road it is understood that a recent Casualty Reduction Site Investigation has taken place by Essex County Council and improvements are planned for the next financial year.
A study of Personal Injury Collision (PIC’s) data for the period from 01/06/2003 to 31/05/2008 at this location shows a pattern of nose to tail and failure to give way accidents on all arms of the mini roundabout with particular problems on the north east arm. During a visit to the site it was observed that it is apparent that there is a lack of deflection on any of the approaches and there is not a domed central island which therefore permits drivers to negotiate the junction at unsuitably high speeds. In addition there are a number of unapproved signs, badly worn road markings and concern with regard to lighting given the number of PIC’s occurring in darkness.
It has therefore been recommended that the following measures are undertaken:
(i) Existing junction to be redesigned to incorporate suitable deflection on all approaches and include a relocated domed central island. Traffic islands should also be provided on the approaches to narrow the carriageway and encourage slower speeds throughout the junction.
(ii) High friction surfacing to be provided on all approaches to the junction and all road markings should be refreshed throughout the vicinity of the junction as required.
(iii) All non approved warning signs to be removed and all existing regulatory and warning signs to be upgraded to largest possible yellow backed versions and relocated to suitable distances where necessary. A review of all other local directional and information signs to be undertaken and signs to be removed or relocated where possible to prevent sign clutter in the vicinity of the junction.
(iv) A review of the lighting levels at the junction to be undertaken and improvements made if they do not meet the required standards.
(v) Any vegetation that currently obscures or has potential to obscure sign faces or affect visibility splays to be cut back or removed as necessary.
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