Coventry 'malfunction junction' works begin

[dutchman]

'Down to driver error' - but Broad Lane/A45 roundabout to change after string of crashes



Changes will be made to Coventry's newly installed £1million Broad Lane roundabout after a series of crashes at the junction with the A45.

Coventry City Council has been forced to make changes after a string of smashes at the site, including three in the week the traffic island opened in December.

One woman was taken to taken to hospital after a crash on the junction, outside the Wing Wah restaurant, and emergency services have been called to at least four smashes on the island - including one this week.

But council officials continue to blame driver error for the incidents and insist the design of the roundabout is not to blame.

Changes will include changing lane designations on Broad Lane, lane direction arrows on the A45 and Broad Lane, repositioning stop lines on the gyratory, increasing the yellow box junction across all three lanes and removing the shutters from traffic lights.

The amendments are scheduled to take place over the next week or so, subject to weather conditions.

Coun Rachel Lancaster, cabinet member for public services, said: “We’re tweaking the lining. This is about putting extra information onto the roads.”

Asked if the council had got the design of the roundabout wrong in the first place, she said: “It’s all down to driver error, they’re not thinking at the junction.

“Part of that could be driver habit, people who have lived there for years - we all do it.

“It’s a shame people can’t drive properly around a roundabout in the city.”

[rebbonk]

Silly woman!

Most crashes are down to driver error, but making islands easy to navigate might actually help. We need to plan for the less able and slower drivers, not the super confident and speed freaks.

[dutchman]

Another crash at junction of Broad Lane and A45 in Coventry despite layout changes

There has been another crash at the Broad Lane roundabout on the A45 just weeks after changes to the layout of the new £1million junction.

Police and ambulance staff were called to the scene at about 9.30pm on Saturday after reports that a car had left the road.

Ambulance crews were later told to stand down after it emerged the woman driving the car, believed to be in her 20s, had not suffered any injuries as a result of the crash.

There have now been at least five smashes at the junction outside the Wing Wah restaurant, including three in the week the traffic island opened during December.

[Melisandre]

It seems there s been other accidents there gone un reported by the press . Why was nt a normal roundabout put there instead of such a complex junction.

[dutchman]

Witness tells of 'demolition derby' at controversial new A45 roundabout in Coventry

Three cars were involved in a “demolition derby” at the new roundabout at the junction of the A45 and Broad Lane in Coventry.

A motorist who saw the collision near the Wing Wah restaurant helped an elderly couple who were involved, and even cleared the scene of oil and debris afterwards.

The crash happened at about 6.30pm on Tuesday, and is the latest at the £1m redesigned junction which only opened in December.

Tristan Lowe, who saw what happened, said: “It was like a demolition derby.

“The driver to my right in the third lane just shot out into the road into the oncoming traffic that had started moving from the right.

“It just went into the side of one of the oncoming cars, just missing the passenger side.

“The back end flew about two to three foot into the air, which then lead to him colliding with another car.

“He ended up bouncing off that car leaving damage to all three cars. It was absolute carnage.”

Tristan got out of the car when he saw one of the drivers shouting at an elderly couple in one of the other cars.

He said: “I wouldn’t normally get myself involved, but I didn’t like how he was about to have a go at the other car.

“I saw an elderly couple in the car and felt so sorry for them.

“The woman was obviously shaken, and their dog also looked so scared.

“But she didn’t want any fuss or medical attention.”

Tristan was there for around half an hour and even cleared up the oil and debris left on the road.

Neither West Midlands Police nor West Midlands Ambulance Service said they attended the scene.

[dutchman]

Notorious £1m Broad Lane roundabout will be changed again after string of crashes

Further changes will be made to the layout of the notorious Broad Lane roundabout on the A45 after an independent report recommended alterations.

Coun Jayne Innes, Coventry council's cabinet member for public services, said the troublesome roundabout was the first thing she looked at after taking up her cabinet position last month.

She said the independent report said the junction was safe but also suggested improvements which will be announced in the near future. Changes were made earlier in the year but officials have consistently pointed the finger at drivers for causing smashes rather than the design of the junction.

Labour Coun Innes said: “The first thing I did when I became cabinet member was instruct the highways department to look at the Wing Wah junction.

“There has been an independent investigation in to the way it works and we will be making some changes to the junction.

“The independent surveyors said it was a safe and functioning roundabout but they have made some suggestions and we have looked at it.”

[rebbonk]

They can point the finger at drivers all they like, but with so many accidents there is something fundamentally wrong with that junction.

Roads ought be simple and easy to use, almost idiot proof. - Though I accept that nothing is idiot proof when faced with a determined idiot.

[dutchman]

Resident's anger after ANOTHER smash at problem-hit roundabout



A woman who lives at a notorious Coventry roundabout says that “lives are at risk” after her car was smashed in to on Wednesday morning.

Pauline East has been left counting the cost of the damage to her Vauxhall Astra after another vehicle ploughed in to it while it was parked outside her home next to the A45/Broad Lane junction.

It is just the latest in a long string of collisions since the crossroads was turned in to a roundabout in December last year.

The junction received a £1million makeover in a bid to improve congestion but has instead been plagued by crashes, including three in the week the traffic island opened.

And only last week Coventry City Council revealed it was set to make further changes to the layout following an independent report.

Pauline, 44, who lives opposite the Wing Wah restaurant on the junction with her partner Charlotte and her four children, says the changes are needed sooner rather than later.

She said: “My car was parked up outside the house and an eyewitness told me this car came flying past, didn’t seem to realise the roundabout was there and crashed in to the lamppost and my car.

“The handle has come off the back door on the driver’s side and now won’t open, the bumper is hanging off and there’s metal on the wheel as well.

“On Friday morning there was an incident where a car span around and when I came to park near to where it happened later on there was a lot of oil on the road.

“Down the slip road there’s also bumpers that have been left and all sorts here, there and everywhere.

“We are just sick of it - you hear bangs outside all the time now and just know what has happened.

“We have to pull in to the slip road and the children have to get out, there’s people going straight across the crossing as they walk along - people’s lives are at risk.”

[dutchman]

Cars badly damaged in yet another smash at notorious A45 roundabout



Take a look at the damage done to these cars after the latest collision at Coventry’s infamous Broad Lane roundabout.

The two vehicles collided at around 4.30pm yesterday at the new roundabout at the junction of the A45 and Broad Lane.

West Midlands Police and West Midlands Fire Service were called to help clear the scene and make it safe.

A spokesman for the police said: “There was a two car collision just after 4.30pm.

“No-one was injured and there was no need for an ambulance.

“The road was all clear by 6.15pm.”

[dutchman]

Infamous A45/Broad Lane junction to get new signs after spate of crashes



New signs are to be added to the notorious A45/Broad Lane roundabout in Coventry in a bid to halt the number of accidents.

The £1million redesigned junction has been plagued with crashes since it opened in December, prompting widespread criticism from motorists.

Now Coventry City Council has decided to add vehicle-activated ‘Give Way’ signs, as well as chevrons and large speed limit signs, in an attempt to make it safer.

The new-look roundabout saw three collisions within a week of opening and has been the scene of regular accidents ever since.

This led to motorists and residents demanding yet more changes and an independent review was carried out by traffic consultants at the request of the city council.

The council says it revealed that crashes were caused by drivers failing to stop and give way at the lines, and upon seeing a green light in the middle of the junction, assuming they have right of way.

This led to the council deciding to install the latest safety measures.

Coun Jayne Innes, cabinet member for city services, said: “When I became cabinet member one of the first things I did was to ask for a review of the junction and options for improvement.

“I pledged to look closely at this junction and respond if anything needed improving. We’ve monitored the roundabout closely and we feel that these signs will help remind drivers that they need to give way.

“The majority of islands have chevrons so the introduction of these will also help to remind drivers that they are entering an island.

“It’s important to be clear that the number of accidents at this junction is similar to the old layout and in line with junctions elsewhere.

“However, we want to make sure that drivers are using the junction properly, to help keep it running smoothly and safely.”

The signs will be installed this month with all the work due to be finished before Christmas.

'Give way signs' eh, whatever will they think of next?