TRAFFIC ISSUES
Original plans to introduce a one-way, 5-month road closure have been shelved. 2-way traffic will be maintained throughout, apart from between 8 p.m. and 5 a.m. when the majority of work will be carried out.
This does not bypass the fact that many local residents are only too aware of the frequency with which London Road can become choked, not just because of incidents on surrounding roads, but often at peak periods due to the volume of traffic. As a major arterial route to and from the A3 and the local superstores, it is not just local traffic that is responsible for potential congestion, but there is a large majority of passing and visiting vehicles that will have to be accommodated, both during and after construction.
Surrey County Council has now published a Traffic Modelling report that confirms that: “The scheme reduces vehicle (road) capacity … increases delay to vehicles … so, (causes) fewer vehicles (to) travel …”; “flow increases on alternative routes including the A3, A320, A322, A246 and B2234. There are also some impacts on residential streets such as Nightingale Road” (LRAG also predicts effects on Winterhill Way, Glendale Drive, New Inn Lane, Epsom Road, Tormead Road, Cranley Road, & others).
These are the potential factors that will influence the maintenance of traffic flow:
The briefing about the appropriate traffic modelling on 6th September still leaves many unanswered queries, but the published Traffic Modelling report confirms local expectations of the adverse effect of the Scheme on congestion.
The requirement to maintain expeditious traffic movement, in accordance with The Traffic Management Act 2004, clearly poses a conundrum on highways with limited lateral space. Highway designs are supposed to be for the benefit of all road users (pedestrians, cyclists and motorists). Balance of effects on each category needs to be in proportion to the actual and predicted ratio of numbers of users. Central government has clearly recognised the need not to excessively punish drivers in its recently published policy paper "Plan for Drivers".
Original plans to introduce a one-way, 5-month road closure have been shelved. 2-way traffic will be maintained throughout, apart from between 8 p.m. and 5 a.m. when the majority of work will be carried out.
This does not bypass the fact that many local residents are only too aware of the frequency with which London Road can become choked, not just because of incidents on surrounding roads, but often at peak periods due to the volume of traffic. As a major arterial route to and from the A3 and the local superstores, it is not just local traffic that is responsible for potential congestion, but there is a large majority of passing and visiting vehicles that will have to be accommodated, both during and after construction.
Surrey County Council has now published a Traffic Modelling report that confirms that: “The scheme reduces vehicle (road) capacity … increases delay to vehicles … so, (causes) fewer vehicles (to) travel …”; “flow increases on alternative routes including the A3, A320, A322, A246 and B2234. There are also some impacts on residential streets such as Nightingale Road” (LRAG also predicts effects on Winterhill Way, Glendale Drive, New Inn Lane, Epsom Road, Tormead Road, Cranley Road, & others).
These are the potential factors that will influence the maintenance of traffic flow:
- reduction of carriageway width, where it removes central passing space at right-turns,
- buses that stop in the highway. leaving little or no remaining passing space apart from crossing to the oncoming carriageway,
- additional pedestrian crossings at all junctions,
- cyclists' priority at a Dutch-style Boxgrove roundabout, against traffic both entering and exiting the roundabout.
- proficient cyclists using the carriageway because of pedestrians and slower cyclists preventing progress on shared paths and narrow segregated tracks.
The briefing about the appropriate traffic modelling on 6th September still leaves many unanswered queries, but the published Traffic Modelling report confirms local expectations of the adverse effect of the Scheme on congestion.
The requirement to maintain expeditious traffic movement, in accordance with The Traffic Management Act 2004, clearly poses a conundrum on highways with limited lateral space. Highway designs are supposed to be for the benefit of all road users (pedestrians, cyclists and motorists). Balance of effects on each category needs to be in proportion to the actual and predicted ratio of numbers of users. Central government has clearly recognised the need not to excessively punish drivers in its recently published policy paper "Plan for Drivers".