I NOTE that, coincidentally, as well as my letter last week regarding the ?construction? of the new roundabout on the Plymouth Road, the Times carried a short article about the way the roundabout is being used.
Quite why it is that traffic engineer Mr Marshall thinks the roundabout necessary to ?slow down traffic along Plymouth Road? when there is already a 30mph limit in force is, I fear, quite beyond me.
Much was made in the article of drivers ?going straight across? and ?on the wrong side of the roundabout? and a traffic warden hints darkly about ?action being taken?.
It seems not to have occurred to either that the reason drivers are ?going straight across? is because of the dreadful design of the roundabout, which, to negotiate ?properly?, entails leaving Plymouth Road, entering the mouth of Brook Lane, before rejoining Plymouth Road.
If ?action? is to be taken (against those not using it as desired) then I respectfully suggest that the traffic warden and/or the police are going to have their work cut out, as I suspect that every coach, bus and lorry entering the town will find it difficult, if not impossible, to negotiate it without ?going straight across?.
It is an abomination and totally unnecessary, as, with the width of road available a much simpler ? and safer ? solution (assuming that there was a problem in the first place) would have been to put in a turning lane for traffic turning right into Brook Lane.
G W J Norris
Pevans Cottage