E-mail from Adam re roundabout signage. Sent today.Dear Councillor Mayne,I’m aware from email correspondence with Vanessa Smith that she has been in dialogue with you in respect of ongoing concerns relating to the highway improvement works to the centre of Isleworth, and in particular the South Street/Twickenham Road mini-roundabout. I believe Vanessa has drawn your attention to my various postings on this matter on the Brentford TW8 forum also.However, I now wish to place on record my serious concerns regarding the Council’s apparent indifference to the dangerous situation that has been generated by these works, with particular focus upon the northbound approach to the mini-roundabout. It genuinely staggers me that any human being who either spends a short time observing this approach at peak times, or drives along this approach, could not recognise these fundamental dangers/faults, yet the lack of any action appears to suggest that the Council consider the situation is satisfactory.I should stress, as you may be aware, that as a previous Local Government employee for 10 years, and a previous LB Hounslow employee for 5 years, it is not in my nature to complain about Council Officers, as having worked on that side of the fence I have a personal appreciation of the difficulties Councils face. However, the implementation of these works, and in particular the continuing presence of erroneous signage and poor road markings despite the concerns raised by the public, has been the most pathetic example of Council conduct I have ever witnessed.A simple walk along Twickenham Road will immediately reveal erroneous highway signage in both directions approaching the roundabout, as both approaches are signposted by a red triangular warning sign indicating either a left or right turn ahead (depending on the direction of approach) with that turn being into South Street. That signage is entirely wrong and a historic relic of the previous junction arrangement. That signage should be replaced by a red triangular warning sign announcing a roundabout ahead, as currently the first time drivers are aware of the roundabout is by way of the small blue roundabout circulation signs positioned literally 5 metres before the roundabout. Whilst it is not my field of professional expertise, I have checked the relevant regulations and guidance and there is nothing to prevent advance red triangular warning signs announcing a roundabout ahead being used in such circumstances.The second key shortcoming is that, in respect of the northbound approach, the road markings dating from the previous junction arrangement have only been “blacked out”. However, as photos posted on one of the Brentford TW8 threads by Sarah Felstead demonstrate, and as can be witnessed by any driver travelling northbound, depending upon the angle of view and the light available, it looks to a drover as though those markings are still operational, especially when illuminated by car headlights at night.As a consequence, it is commonplace for drivers to believe, especially given the fact the actual remaining single lane is approximately 1.5 car widths wide, that if they wish to turn right at the mini-roundabout into South Street that they can overtake queuing traffic. Such an action results in either (a) drivers feeling intimidated ending up positioned completely in the cycle lane, thereby blocking use of the cycle lane, rendering it useless and making the junction more dangerous to cyclists than it ever has been, or (b) drivers turning right overtaking correctly positioned queuing traffic being forced to cross the central reservation so that a substantial part of their vehicle is travelling on the opposite carriageway against the direction of traffic flow, thereby greatly increasing the risk of a head-on collision. Both of the above results, which I personally witness on a daily basis and have done so now for months, also cause considerable ill feeling between drivers and cyclists, and inevitably increase the risk of road rage incidents.There can be no doubt that if action is not taken promptly to replace the erroneous signage and properly resurface the entire northbound approach (including a hatched area to ensure northbound traffic is correctly funneled into one lane approaching the roundabout) a serious accident or incident will occur, and I urge you to make remedying the shortcomings I (and others) have identified a priority before that happens.
Vanessa Smith ● 4410d