Conference govt02::basingstoke

    
    
    It has to be Town Centre West Junction It's all the overtaking on
    the inside and on the outside.
    
    Mark (The safest driver on this Earth)!

    The town centre west roundabout, is the only one I know of, with
    reversed priority on one of it's entry roads :-).
    
    i.e. the ring road going from south to north.
    
    Confusin'  innit ( and *(@@$! dangerous too ) It amazes me that
    there are not more accidents there.
                                                    

    
    My nomination:-
    
    ....that 'orrible little mini roundabout at the back of Snam on
    the T-junction by the bridge.
    
    I've had one accident on it (not my fault - and the insurers agreed
    with me), it doesn't serve it's purpose (still massive queues over
    the bridge in the morning), it's badly marked and badly positioned
    and....
    
    
    ...I HATE IT.
    
    Abigail
    

    No 'best' or worst', but...
    
    I lived in Blasingsmoke for a few years. People made fun out of
    the roundabouts, but at least they worked. Compare this to the
    roundabouts in Reading - is there any competition?
    
    I want to know when the ring road will be completed, dual carriageway
    all round?
    
    Jc
    

>        I want to know when the ring road will be completed, dual carriageway
>        all round?

    Dont hold your breath on this one. I havn't heard of any plans to
    upgrade the single carriageways on the south and west side of town,
    they are they responsibility of the County Council I think, who are
    resticted by capital spending limits. The ring road on the north side,
    the A339 Newbury Road, is a trunk road which is the responsibilty of
    the Department of Transport, and the good news is that upgrading this
    to a dual carriageway is part of the government's current road program. 
     
    The plan is to put an underpass at the Reading Road roundabout, a
    flyover at the Aldermaston roundabout and a continuous dual carriageway
    as far as a *new* roundabout at the junction with Roman Road. 
 
    When will this happen ? The last report in the Gazette last year
    said it would start in the Autumn of this year but I havn't read
    about it recently. Does anybody else have any info on the start
    date ?
    
    of it since.

    
    
    There is a roundabout near Swindon (yes I know it's not near
    Basingstoke) called 'The Magic Roundabout'
    
                        �
    		     �	   � 
                        O
                     �     �
              
    One central isle with five 'moons', each a mini-roundabout. 
    And you think you've got it bad !!
    
    
    Gary. :-)

    
    Gary,
    
    Yes, know the Swindon Magic Roundabout......mindblowing!
    
    Abigail
    

      There's a similar one in Abingdon but only 3 together,but the
    priority system is mind blowing,considering the speed you have to
    react.

    ... and the original, and in my opinion best one, is in Hemel
    Hempstead.
    
    However, to get back to the original subject, I vote for the Town
    Centre West roundabout --- it was so well designed :-)
    

    My favourite was the (I think) Churchill Roundabout - the one that
    covers about 10 acres and used to have (still does occassionally)
    motorbikes riding around inside it - it's all grass and hillocks
    and stuff.
    
    Unfortunately, a coupla years ago, the council in their infinite
    wisdom spent something like �30,000 of ratepayers money to put armco
    all the way around it. A lot of dosh to deter half a dozen motorbikes!
    
    Ian (a biker who was pretty cross about it at the time.)

    Arn't  town centre west and churchill are the same place? It also had a
    swimming pool once (I'm told - I wasn't there then!). 

    Jc
    

not only a swimming pool but also from what i've been told it was the
    site that Vickers used to dump the waste from their plating shop
    therefore lots of lovely cadnium arsenic etc. 
         john t
    

      Don't forget the zoo......it was announced last April 1st.
    

    I'm trying to get a pressure group together to stop them building londons
    4th airport on it.
    
    re:-1
    
    I live in the zoo!!
    

    The best (worst) roundabout is the one that they used to use for
    scrambling. I'm not sure of it's name but I use it every morning.
    There are two lanes as you approach it.  As you are nearing the
    roundabout there is a sign that indicates that road merges NOT A
    ROUNDABOUT SIGN.  Two things really cheese me off.
    
    1.  People stop because they treat it like a roundabout approach
    
    2.  People drive over the white chevrons on the near side lane.
     This is not only illegal but extremely dangerous.  It happens every
    morning.  As soon as the Police decide to do a check everyone sticks
    to the far lane and the traffic goes on for miles.  I always use
    the near lane and then edge into the traffic as I approach the top.
    
    anyone else get pUSHEd off with this?
    
    Claire
    

re < Note 10.17 by UBOHUB::ROCK_C "Fraggle" >

>    The best (worst) roundabout is the one that they used to use for
>    scrambling. I'm not sure of it's name but I use it every morning.
>    There are two lanes as you approach it.  As you are nearing the
>    roundabout there is a sign that indicates that road merges NOT A
>    ROUNDABOUT SIGN.  Two things really cheese me off.
  
    I think you must mean Town Centre West Junction.  

>    1.  People stop because they treat it like a roundabout approach

    and sit there for twenty minutes with their indicators going. 
            
>    2.  People drive over the white chevrons on the near side lane.

    and blast their horns if you dare to drive on your side of the 
    chevrons.
    
>    anyone else get pUSHEd off with this?
 
    Yes, very. I sometimes go home that way, but usually try to avoid it
    at peak times.

    	Andy 

Re .17 about Town Centre West roundabout

>    2.  People drive over the white chevrons on the near side lane.
>     This is not only illegal but extremely dangerous.  It happens every
>    morning.  As soon as the Police decide to do a check everyone sticks
>    to the far lane and the traffic goes on for miles.  I always use
>    the near lane and then edge into the traffic as I approach the top.

Is this actually illegal ? I don't think there is a law saying thou shalt not 
drive over white chevrons in the same way that thou shalt not drive over double 
white lines. I thought it was a question of recommended use.

I know that occasionally the police park a car there to force everybody into
the nearside lane thus causing mammoth tailbacks. It makes you wonder why the 
approach road is actually a dual carriageway if it then funnels down to a 
single lane.

The only objection that I can see to using the offside lane where the chevrons 
are is that the sightlines to your right are poor, but this is also true of the 
nearside lane. The obvious way to stop people using both lanes is to extend the 
central reservation across to the left thus ensuring that there is physically 
only one lane.

Nigel

    
    I don't know about this specific case, but the usual rationale for
    reducing two lanes to one just prior to a roundabout is that it
    is dangerous to allow two parallel lines of traffic to enter
    simulataneously in some cases.
    
    For example at Three Mile Cross on the A33 traffic in the right
    hand lane on northbound A33 regularly carves up the left hand lane
    traffic to cut across to the left hand exit lane. This causes a
    lot of very near misses, general snarled-up traffic, and probably
    a lot of what our american cousins call "fender-benders".
    
    /. Ian .\

    What annoys me about "Town Centre West Junction" is that when you're
    driving from town towards the Fire Stations, etc., you should be
    in the right hand lane, but invariably you get some selfish little
    pratts driving in the left lane and subsequently push into the right
    lane on the roundabout itself.
    
    I have a technique to conquer this annoyance - I drive purposefully
    slowly when there is someone attempting this annoying manoeuvre,
    but only when it is "safe" to do so (ie, not endangering traffic
    behind me).  The worse thing of all, is that the police are just
    as guilty as the selfish little pratts at this "short-cut/timesaver",
    so there's little point in complaining to them!
    
    Isn't it about time there were part-time traffic lights on all
    entrances to this so-called roundabout?
    

    Hear Hear.  I don't think it would add anymore to the wait times
    we already have and at least there is less risk of an accident.
    Either that or they actually change the sign from a "Road Merges"
    to a "Roundabout" sign.
    
    
    Claire
    
    
    

    You think that's bad ............
    
    I recently moved to a village the other side of Newbury and have
    to contend with the Robin Hood Roundabout (junction of A34 and A4)
    every day.
    
    This roundabout has the following number of entry and exit lanes
    (try playing spot the incompatibilities!)

    A34 southbound and A4 eastbound combine three lanes into two and
    then back into three at the roundabout for two exits eastbound on
    A4 and two exits southbound on A34.
                                       
    A34 northbound (two lanes) and A4 westbound (two lanes) each split
    to three lanes (total six) at the roundabout for four exits which
    then split to three lanes.
                              
    The roundabout itself has a theoretical three lanes, but "carve
    up" merchants tend to reduce this to two - so, we have a total of
    lanes in of nine, two lanes on the roundabout and seven exits.
                              
    And this ignores two other roads each feeding one lane in and out.
                              
    Try that at 8.15 in the morning and I can assure you that Basingstoke
    is Paradise.              
                              
    Yours
    
    Spinning of West Berkshire

    
    Jon,
    
    	Know the roundabout well. In my experience all you have to do
        is look to see where you are heading for wait for a cap in the
    	traffic and just go for it. Yes I am one of those "carve up"
    	people that you referred to. But it does get you across!!!!!!
    
    
    							Speedy!!!!

    Hmmmm is that a Dutch cap or a Gondom.....
                                   ^

As a follow up to .19 I noticed that the police were again in action at the 
Town Centre West roundabout on Tuesday. They were stopping anyone who violated 
the white chevrons. They were causing a large tailback (when did the phrase 
traffic jam disappear?) as per usual.

Does anyone know if they were able to actually charge people with anything or 
were they merely delaying people, asking for documents & generally harrassing 
them?

I thought it prudent not to argue the toss with Mr Plod but if anyone has been
the victim or knows the real facts I would be interested. 

Nigel

    
    Something needs to be done about the "Town Centre West Roundabout"
    
    Either its a roundabout and everyone obeys the rules, i.e give way
    to traffic already on the roundabout, OR treat it as a magnified
    crossroads, with a "field" in the middle of the X, in which case
    traffic lights are a MUST.
    
    Why is it that the access from the Ring Road, going North, is marked
    differently to all the others, with no GIVE WAY signs ???
    

.29�    Either its a roundabout and everyone obeys the rules, i.e give way

    NOBODY obeys the rules in B'stoke, I've found that ALL r'bouts are
    a "free for all", if you're already on the r'bout then people will
    still try and get on, they'll judge your distance, and pull out
    in front...time for the HORN!
    
    I nearly t-boned a lady who pulled out when I was half way round
    the large r/bout in the town centre, I pulled up with loads of room,
    but she did feel a bit arkward, as I sat there with my horn on...
    I'm not usually an aggessive driver, but this kind of behaviour
    gets my goat...
    
    
    			Si

    Any comments on the Black Dam roundabout re-work? does anybody in
    the know want to enlighten us as to what the final outcome will
    be?  
    
    Well it does seem a bit quiet around here!
    

    
    At a guess there's going to be an extra lane all the way round with
    a slip road turning left onto the A30 from the M3.
    
    Mark 

    
    Apparently, more lanes round the roundabout.
    With a bit of luck, there'll be "priority left turn" lanes, to ease
    at least some of the pressure.
    
    Ian
    

    But there will always be the idiot who comes down the outside lane
    and wants to turn up towards the AA...
    
    anybody met him yet...????

that they were going to build, so that the "stright through" traffic could
go straight over the roundabout.

Extra lanes won't solve the problems, they'll only make a small diference.
There are three lanes on the roundabout already!

Peter.

    
    Let's hope the Police aren't ORGANIZING the traffic at the roundabout
    tonight. It was all running smoothly until they arrived! Still maybe
    it was hell coming from Reading until they started directing traffic!
    
    Mark
    

    
    I still think they should've put a fly-over on the Black Dam
    roundabout, still now they've started the work, they might as well
    finish, else it could be *much* worse....
    
    Thankfully I don't have to suffer it...my condolences to those that
    do...
    
    
    				Si

    ref: .28 - running the chevron
    
    A friend of mine (I know it sounds like a good excuse but it is true)
    was done for driving (deliberately) over some chevrons.  He was fined
    and still has little marks on his license to prove it!
    
    Needless to say he doesn't drive on these now ... when there are
    policemen arround.
    
    
    ref (all those concerned about the black dam roundabout)
    
    Can anybody tell when they are going to stop changing it arround and
    remove those fast-breeder cones. (It changes faster than my code).
    
    ALSO
    
    Apparently there ARE plans to put a flyover (A30) over the roundabout
    (perhaps thats what they are saving all that muck for) but they are not
    telling anybody where the plans are or when the pope will allow us to
    look at them again.
    
    Happy traffic jams!

re < Note 10.38 by SYSTEM::MORRIS "Alan Morris - How did I get in here?" >
    
>    A friend of mine (I know it sounds like a good excuse but it is true)
>    was done for driving (deliberately) over some chevrons.  He was fined
>    and still has little marks on his license to prove it!

Was he done for that catch-all 'driving without due care & attention' or is 
there a specific offense for driving over chevrons?

Nigel

BTW Love your node name if I was system manager on it I could be SYSTEM::SYSTEM

    .-1  Now there's a good idea ! ....
    .-2  don't know!
    
    -- Alan
    

    Seen going round Black Dam yesterday, the ultimate passenger vehicle
    especially designed for Basingstoke trafic :-
    
    Khaki coloured, armour-plated tracked vehicle with half a dozen
    armed passengers, all carrying UZIs or something similar.
    
    They had no problem at all with getting through the traffic !
    
    Is this a sign of the times ?
    
    M.
    

	
	Blackdam Roundabout (God bless all who circumnavigate)
	-------------------
	Now most of the new feeder lanes have been marked out what do
	you think...?

	a) Feeder from A33 (from Chineham), going onto A30 (to Hatch)..
		This one converges dangerously with other traffic heading
		onto the A30 - Will they widen the road at this point
		from 1 lane to 2 ?

	b) No feeder lane seems to have been marked from A30 (from Hatch),
		going onto M3 slip. This means that straight thru traffic
		uses the two inside lanes which again converge into 1 
		lane on the other side of the roundabout.

	Have the queues diminished from the other entry roads? They
	seem to have gone from the A30 in the morning. However, the
	roundabout itself seems to be a 'free-for-all'.
	
	P1	

    
    Well, except for some berk cutting into my lane only to find that
    it goes left now, I think it's brilliant, but I came off the M3,
    I'll let you know Friday if it's bad on the way home.
    
    Mark

    
    Can I change my vote?
    
    These last two weeks have seen a massive increase in the queues
    coming off the M3 onto the Black Damned Roundabout. The queues now
    regularly stretch back onto the motorway (which only very rarely
    occured before the revision to the roundabout) and it can take 10-15
    minutes to get from the motorway to the Crescent in the morning
    which is only fractionally less than it takes to get the other 17
    miles from home to there!
    
    Maybe I ought to try to approach from the A30.
    
    Mark

    
    Sounds remarkably like the blockage at Chineham !

    I can't believe what they did to the Black Dam roundabout;
    OK, they've put in a special "left hand filter lane" at each
    acess, but they have painted the lines so that two lanes on
    the dual carriageway approach split into three lanes at the entrance.
    
    There are no lines on the roundabout, which is only wide enough
    for two lanes, and there's only one lane off at a couple of the
    exits.
    
    I came off the southbound M3 at about 8:20 this morning, and it took
    20 minutes for me to get past this damn thing!!
    
    Acre Road suddenly seems more attractive in my memory.....
    
    Peter		Disgusted_of_The_Crescent

    I've been using the black dam thingy for abou 8 years now.  Prior to
    them messing the (w)hole thing up I had witnessed three minor incidents
    (one in the snow) and contributed th a fourth by stalling in the middle
    of the roundabout.
    
    Since they changed it all I've seen several near-miss 'carve ups' at
    those insane exits to the A30 (both ways) and twice so far I've had to
    stop on the roundabout (A30 to Hook exit) where two or more cars have
    tried to squeeze onto the A30.
    
    Previous to the changes things were simply congested  ...  now they are
    congested and dangerous!
    
    -- Alan 

    
    if we all started at 9:30 instead of 9:00......we would miss most
    of the Black Dam (and all the other roundabouts) rush-hour 
    blockage !

    
    
>        if we all started at 9:30 instead of 9:00......
    
    ... Why not 8:30 ?  It's quite quiet then ! :-))
    
                                                    
    But seriously, though, for those people coming off the M3 to the
    Cres, it's much easier to take the next exit South, then come in
    on the back roads from the A30.
    
    Don't tell too many people, though !!
    
    Ian
    
    

    
    > ... Why not 8:30 ?  It's quite quiet then ! :-))

    Not from the direction I come from! It's bad between 8.15 and 9.15
    as far as I can tell!
    
    Mark
    

    
    nor from either of the directions I can come from, it's bad from 8:00
    to 9:15 and in very bad weather later than that !

	Re. last few...	

	The A30 westbound is relatively empty in the mornings, and the
	queue at the Black Hole roundabout from the A30 is nothing
	compared to that coming off the M3. However, due to, (in my
	opinion), 'stupid' junction repainting at the junction of the
	A30 and A32(?) at Hook Common, traffic from the M3 Junction 5
	has quite a wait to turn left onto the A30. Best to try it once
	just to see !

	An update from my note .43 ...It seems as if the feeder lane from 
	the A30 to M3 exits will NOT be appearing (fair enough), and that
	the A30 eastbound exit will NOT be widened (watch out for that
	traffic on your left/right/everywhere). It just seems mindless to
	create a roundabout system where three lanes converge down to one,
	especially, as Peter mentioned, when there are no lane markings 
	on the roundabout itself to guide traffic.

    I would like to sympathise with those of you coming off the M3,
    but as I come along the A30 from Hook and my queue at the roundabout
    has shortened considerably since the change........
    
    I must admit I saw the major fault with the Blackdam roundabout
    previously as one of speed. With the roundabout being so large,
    with wide 'lanes', the traffic on the roundabout went so fast we
    could not safely get on without a large gap to pull out into.
    Now they have made the centre smaller and retained the width of
    road it seem the traffic on the roundabout is going just as fast
    as before! I think the whole thing was a waste of money as the
    improvements (to the A30) have not only been minimal, they have
    been acheived at the detrement of others (e.g. the M3).
    I think the A30 traffic moves more freely because we are not held
    up by traffic waiting to filter left. But letting us out unimpeded
    has caused more flow across the path of the M3 exit!
    
    Crazy!
    
    I rate the intelligence of road planners marginally above estate
    agents and bank clerks (maybe).
    
    Andrew

    Hey Andrew.... durr... I was a bank clerk once...!
    
    ;-)
    Ray.

    Heres my tuppence worth
    
    Here are the woes of a poor traveller from Salisbury to Basingstoke
    ...
    
    1. Ten minutes from 0800 to 0810 makes the difference between a
    clear run in and a bad-tempered jam
    
    2. I think part of the problem is the M3 roundabout with traffic
    converging from east and west. What about part time traffic lights?
    
    3. I agree totally with the person that suggested part of the problem
    is that everybody travels TOO DAMM FAST. It seems that everybody
    is out to prove what amazing first-gear accelleration their escorts
    and cavaliers have (Of course, I'm sure that it's only IBM people
    that drive that way). With all the terribly important people that
    work in this town, the extra 30 seconds on the working day is vital
    to the British economy (or more likely the American economy!).
    
    
    Bring back the death penalty!
    
    
    

    As an occasional visitor to the Black Damn Roundabout (I did spell
    that right, didn't I?) I find that the only way to preserve life
    and, preferably, limb, is to accelerate as quickly as possible.
    This in turn forces the next to do likewise, and so ad infinitum.
    
    Why don't "they" put a flyover in, so the only traffic on the
    roundabout is turning traffic?
    
    Steve

    Hi Ray,
    
    	I rest my case....
    
    
    Andrew
    
    	
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    (Only joking Ray).
    
    
    
    
    
    Andrew

    
    Having discovered yet another alternative to my route to work, I
    can now say that the improvement to the A30 access to the BD roundabout
    is actually considerable. I haven't encountered any stationary traffic
    coming onto the roundabouts since I started coming that way and
    what moving queues that do occur are shorter and quicker clearing
    than they used to be.
    
    By the way, I'm not telling anyone which way I come now. If other
    people start using the route it'll soon become a solid jam! I just
    hope we don't have too much snow this year...
    
    Mark
    
    PS It's also about a mile shorter :^) 

Westbound from the A30 approach there are three lanes and despite the small 
queue it didn't take long for people to discover they could save seconds by 
taking the left lane (M3 traffic) even if taking the third exit.

And there's more, a couple of weeks back I observed someone coming from the
A30 Eastbound using the turn left only lane to jump the queue and eventually
turn off at the M3 exit!

Dave.

    
    
>    And there's more, a couple of weeks back I observed someone coming from the
>A30 Eastbound using the turn left only lane to jump the queue and eventually
>turn off at the M3 exit!

 
    You seem surprised, Dave.    Roundabout/lane abuse is one of the
    commonest bits of idiocy around !
    
    Ian
    

    ....Some dangerous clown would still pull out to overtake.

re .61:


>    You seem surprised, Dave.    

I still have faith in my fellow person.

Dave.

    So, how about the new road added to the Brighton Hill roundabout? You
    know, the one that goes round the back of Homebase, alleviating the
    previously congested route?... If you are travelling onto the
    roundabout from this new road, on the middle lane, you'll see what I
    mean. 
    There are three approach lanes. The offside and nearside lanes all head
    for the central lane of the roundabout, mostly aiming for the THIRD
    exit - the Ring Road. The poor old middle lane "contestant" gets
    completely cut off from all angles!!!!! .... That inside lane should be
    for South Ham or the Homebase exit, not for the Ring Road!
    
    Everyday, I see this happen. My next (non)company car will have to be an 
    armoured vehicle!!!
    
    Not yet dented of Kempshott... yet :(
    
    

    
    The "extended" roundabout at the Fire Station had this three lane
    approach (from the Worting road) for a few months, before the 
    powers that be saw sense and reduced it to two. Maybe they might
    eventually do the same at this entrance to the BH roundabout.
    
    

    They tell me that they are "seeking approval" to reduce the three lanes
    to two. (I wrote to Basingstoke and Deane)..
    
    Angela

    Well they've got my approval!

    
    Yesterday's Gazette had a story claiming the Black Dam flyover was now
    a high priority and it would be 'months rather than years' before
    something happens - cost was quoted at 15m.
    
    Paul

    
    Latest plan is a "Hamburger" rather than a flyover.
    

    
    Anyone know what they're planning to do to the Town centre west
    roundabout ?
    
    I've noticed that a new sign has appeared, but it's currently hidden
    in a black plastic bag.
    
    

	Typical Bloody Typical !!! The road planners in their total lack
	of wisdom, have decided to waste more local money. 

	This time they are erecting 'part-time' traffic lights on the
	roundabout at Junction 5 of the M3 (Hook).

	I cannot see any reason for this whatsoever. There are never
	queues on any of the entry roads at any time of day. 

	My theory is, that the person making the road planning decisions
	in the Hook area, must live on Lundy, or somesuch place totally	
	uncontaminated by motor vehicles. 

	<seeth seeth>

		p1

    What do part-time traffic lights do in their time off though? Train
    belecia beacons??

    Well, aforementioned lights are working (er operating) this morning.
    Driving round the roundabout is a bit like a disco : red, amber, green,
    red , blue. BLUE - oh sorry officer.

    I'm suprised no-one's commented on the mayhem caused by the latest
    spate of roadworks on the ring road.
    
    Every morning on my way through Basingstoke (to Newbury) I get stuck in
    a jam behind a digger or a dumper truck or something and coming home
    (about 6 PM usually) the whole ring road from the A339 to the A33 is
    jammed virtually solid.
    
    Does anyone who lives in Basingstoke (or even who doesn't!) know when
    the roadworks are scheduled to be completed? Or even why they started
    them? All the congestion I've ever encountered in Basingstoke has been
    at the Black Dam Roundabout and then once you get OUT of Basingstoke on
    that pathetic excuse for an A road (more like a cramped B road!), the
    A339!
    
    Mark

    Mark,
    
    I think they're scheduled to finish summer 1993!!  They're building a
    flyover I believe to help traffic at the Reading Road Roundabout - I
    know I've given up on that road now - I used to travel to Marlborough
    via Newbury each day, but now use the A303 and will continue to do so
    until all the mess/JCB/dumper trucks have disappeared from Basingstoke!
    
    Brenda

    
    Hello Brenda.
    
    I don't blame you. The whole ring road's a mess. 
    
    I mentioned it today because I found a way last night to completely
    bypass the ring road! :^)
    
    Mark

I'm sure there are large signs scattered around the 
roadworks stating that it is scheduled to be completed
in Spring 1993.  Perhaps you could spend your time 
in the jams reading the signs ;-)

Speaking of disappearing JCBs. One disappeared from a
building site on North Waltham this morning.  Perhaps
the one you were following this morning had nothing to
do with the roadworks :-)

tp

    Has anyone else tried out the changes to the Brighton Hill
    roundabout...?!
    
    They've now got 3 entry lanes coming from Beechdown and also 3 lanes on
    the dual carriageway coming from the Winchester Road roundabout.  I can
    see that this means the traffic gets on the roundabout quicker but then
    where does it go ?  There's only enough room on the roundabout for 2
    cars side by side.
    
    Who would be the people to write to to complain about this, the council?
    
    tmp
    

    Trev,
    
>    Who would be the people to write to to complain about this, the council?
    
    An expression including the words "stable door" and "bolted" comes to
    mind ;-)
    
    Jon

> re: Note 10.78 by KERNEL::PARRY "Trevor Parry"
>
>    Has anyone else tried out the changes to the Brighton Hill
>    roundabout...?!
>    
>    They've now got 3 entry lanes coming from Beechdown and also 3 lanes on
>    the dual carriageway coming from the Winchester Road roundabout.  I can
>    see that this means the traffic gets on the roundabout quicker but then
>    where does it go ?  There's only enough room on the roundabout for 2
>    cars side by side.

	Yep, classic this morning....the car in the middle lane (to my 
	left) couldn't decide if it should cut up the one on the inside
	or force me into the concrete 'armco' in the centre.

	I think this whole area could be one to be avoided when the
	superstores on the dual-carriageway open and the new traffic
	lights start operating.

	Maybe the road planners from Reading were invited down to stamp
	their own brand of 'intelligence' on proceedings.

		p1

    They tried this about a year or so ago and it was total chaos.  I
    thought at least this time they would widen the roundabout all the wasy
    round to take three lanes instead of two but as is usually the case I
    suppose there will have to be a pile up before they realise the error
    of their ways.
    
    Sharon

    I used that roudabout for the first time in ages last night - fun isn't
    it!!!???  It can't be long before there is a serious crunch...the
    normal Basingstoke lazy attitude to lane discipline on roundabouts is
    bad enough (ok - my soapbox), but this seems designed to create havoc.
    
    I only really use that roundabout so that I can go back down the other
    side of the carriageway on my way home (if you see what I mean), but
    once the industrial estate is finished it looks like there will be a
    useful cut-through to those new traffic lights and avoid the
    roundabout altogether.  Not that I would suggest such a thing....
    
    
    mikef
                                                                      

> re: Note 10.82 by CHEFS::FIDDLER_M "The sense of being dulls my mind"
>
>    I only really use that roundabout so that I can go back down the other
>    side of the carriageway on my way home (if you see what I mean), but
>    once the industrial estate is finished it looks like there will be a
>    useful cut-through to those new traffic lights and avoid the
>    roundabout altogether.  Not that I would suggest such a thing....

	What you're saying is that the traffic from the superstores/ind.
	estate will be allowed to turn right !??!? Surely not !!. I must
	check the road layout tonight. If it's true, as you say, everyone
	will use it as a cut-through, oo-er.

    Ermm...I think so...the traffic light/junction set up is structured to
    allow them turn to right from the Industrial estate so that they are
    travelling away from the Brighton Hill roundabout.  (I'm sorry, I can
    never remember road names...).
    
    Maybe they will restrict traffic turning in there from the 'top road'
    
    Are they putting Superstores in there?  
    
    Mikef
    

>    Are they putting Superstores in there?  
    
	There's a board up at the Brighton Hill Roundabout end, and I 
	think I can remember Toys 'R' Us, Office World, Pizza Hut,
	but there are a few others.

	I had a look this morning, but there is nothing I could see to
	indicate if there's going to be a right turn or not. We'll see.

    
    Re .82
    
    The signs that are currently half covered up, show that the entrance
    from the Harrow Way will be for deliveries only. 
    
    Normal access in and out will be via the Winchester Road only I think.
    
    

    Which one is the Harrow Road?  The little dual carriageway?
    
    ah well...just have to live with jams whichever way I go home I guess.  
    
    ta
    
    mikef

    I think the Harrow Road (way?) is the road from Viables to Brighton
    Hill.  It is not dual carriageway.
    
    Jc