Forum Topic

Ealing Rd/A4 Roundabout

Letter arrived this morning outlining proposed changes- about time too. Current layout really isn't safe. Suspect they should do something about the Windmill Rd junction while they're at it- there appears to be more accidents there than anywhere else.

Mark Gormley ● 3819d20 Comments

Looking again at the plans, Anyone else noticed the glaring omissions?That of the M4 Pylons.The Blind spots could be even worse than the existing set up.This is where a drivers eye artists impression or 3D animated projection could make a big contribution.

Raymond Havelock ● 3815d

That's news to me, Thomas, and rather alarming given the progress made in recent years. The attached link shows road deaths halved between 2000 and 2013. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/annual-road-fatalitiesI rather doubt that driving standards gradually improved between 2000 and 2013 then dramatically reversed in 2014 so I'd say there's some other factor in play.Though no doubt Raymond's right that driving standards, like everything else, are going to hell in a handcart.

Guy Lambert ● 3816d

I am anti-bad driving Thomas and pro taking responsibility for it.

Keith Iddon ● 3817d

That's the typical anti-motorist nanny stater talking, Keith. Free the roads now! What's the worst that could happen?"...a number of police forces from across the country released independent figures revealing a rise in road deaths in 2014. Covering the whole year in advance of official government statistics, these showed a sharp rise in deaths in the Thames Valley force area – up 36 per cent, to 78 – in Lincolnshire – up 14 per cent, to 40 – and in Northern Ireland – up 38 per cent, to 79 deaths."http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/dramatic-rise-in-road-deaths-as-numbers-of-traffic-police-fall-10016058.htmlSo there is actually some hard evidence that driving standards might be falling, certainly if you correlate that with more killed and seriously injured on the roads.

Thomas Barry ● 3817d

Absolutely Raymond...the number of people who do not signal which way they are turning and take up a position n the road which is to the wrong side to the way they actually turn has greatly increased in the last few years imo. I also think that if a driver has an accident that is their fault they should have to pay, say £500 to the person they hit and if they have another accident that is their fault within 2 years that they should have to sit another test.

Keith Iddon ● 3818d

"Your positivity knows no bounds."It's an opinion borne of bitter experience..............

Vanessa Smith ● 3818d

When I was little and the flyover brand new along with this and the other junctions at Clayponds and Lionel Road, there were signs clearly advising road users to signal clearly. Even in the 70s the police regualarly stodd and watched drivers and stopped them if they did not signal.It set a precedent and for many years the Ealing Road junction has been fairly safe given the blind spots caused by the concrete pillars of the M4.It's not the junction that is unsafe but the dreadful slack driving standards of too many.Nowadays hardly anyone signals properly or clearly. The road has had a double dip on the north side that has not been dealt with in over 12 years and a pothole on the South Ealing side that was finally fixed after nearly 27 years!Like other bits of the A4, the cycle track is barely used as it is never swept or maintained.The leaflet shows a very elaborate plan. Moving the dreadful toucan crossing ( pelican crossings are far less confusing) further away will just lead to even less people if any using it.If they put big signs on the M4 pillar " All Road Users signal clearly" or to that effect, sorted the dangerous road surface and actually swept the surfaces properly as well as lighting the area properly it would probably be safer and flow better.How much cheaper would that be? and why not try it first?Windmill road far more dangerous in every aspect.  No idea how that can be improved. Apart from better lighting over the whole of the junction.

Raymond Havelock ● 3818d

True.

Anne England ● 3818d

Your positivity knows no bounds.

Anne England ● 3818d

'It's normal driving practice to give way to traffic from the right at roundabouts and generally and should not require signage.'But this roundabout is light-controlled. It's normal to assume that a green light means you have right of way. When you have a green light on the Chiswick roundabout, for instance, you don't expect to find traffic coming at you from your right.

Susan Kelly ● 3819d

Signage wouldn't be much good given a lot of drivers dont bother to learn English ..

Sharon Trevor ● 3819d

Yes, you know that and so do I, but I cannot tell you how many times people just don't give toss and put their foot down and shoot across regardless. I suspect they could have signs all over the place and some pillocks would still ignore them.

Vanessa Smith ● 3819d

It's normal driving practice to give way to traffic from the right at roundabouts and generally and should not require signage.

Keith Iddon ● 3819d

All that is needed are signs when approaching from north and south telling drivers to give way to traffic already on the roundabout.

Susan Kelly ● 3819d

Lets keep the roundabout..I cant remember the last time there was an accident there, but the Windmill Rd end is forever causing chaos and road rage as no one seems to know the rules regarding the yellow box junction..

Sharon Trevor ● 3819d

Personally, I have no idea about how to improve roundabouts, so can't tell if the proposal would help or not. But, even to my uninformed eye, it looks expensive.

Mark Gormley ● 3819d

Hmm, whilst I do think the junction needs to be improved for the benefit of cyclists and pedestrians, and the access/exit from the petrol station which is 'on-top' of the roundabout should be blocked up, the rest of the proposals appear excessive to me.The new lanes for traffic going straight across won't work, inevitably you'll end up with queuing traffic backing up from those lanes causing circulation problems for the rest of the roundabout.Sledgehammer to crack a nut springs to mind, but hey, I don't live on Planet Traffic ;-)

Adam Beamish ● 3819d

Many, I should think. But the alternative is to leave it alone. It's not either user friendly or particulary safe at the moment, especially on the north/south axis.

Mark Gormley ● 3819d

How many months of disruption is this going to cause?

Paul Scullion ● 3819d

Here's the link if anyone wants a squint.https://consultations.tfl.gov.uk/roads/a4-ealing-road/user_uploads/a4-great-western-road_ealing-road-final.pdf

Mark Gormley ● 3819d