11:50am Thursday 2nd September 2010
By Matt Smith
IT already boasts a staggering 58 traffic lights.
Now council roads bosses want to add yet more lights to the notorious Millbrook roundabout in Southampton.
Road campaigners have warned it could lead to more gridlock and have called for traffic lights to be removed rather than added in favour of a better solution to the increase in traffic levels.
But the council claims the lights, on the approach to the roundabout, are needed to manage extra traffic from the new rubbish and recycling park at nearby Dockgate 20.
AA president Edmond King said: “It does look incredibly complex already. We would suggest they have a rethink.”
The original project to resurface and litter the roundabout with traffic lights sparked outcry from drivers when it was unveiled two years ago. It came in £500,000 over budget by the time it was completed, costing £2.6m. The council said the number of traffic lights and toucan crossings were needed to improve traffic flows and pedestrian and cyclist safety.
Southampton’s self-styled King of Cars, Michael Nobes, fumed: “It’s bad enough as it is. If you stop the flow of traffic it will just back-up. Start slowing it down even more and it will just be gridlock.
“Why can’t they just use a little bit more land to allow for a filter lane. They always go for the cheaper option of traffic lights. The council needs to start thinking about switching off traffic lights not adding new ones.”
Mr Nobes, boss of Richmond Hyundai, said the city’s sluggish traffic flows were already hitting many businesses.
Under the new plan motorists leaving the new tip off First Avenue will be sent back out along Third Avenue to join the Millbrook roundabout. A council spokesman said : “The timing of the new lights will be co-ordinated with the phasing on the existing lights on the roundabout, so there should not be additional delays.
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