New traffic lights fail to cut crash figures
Traffic lights installed at some of Shropshire’s busiest junctions have made little difference to the number of road accidents, new figures reveal.
Traffic lights installed at some of Shropshire’s busiest junctions have made little difference to the number of road accidents, new figures reveal.
Reports for Telford’s Trench Lock Interchange and Emstrey and Dobbies roundabouts in Shrewsbury show that the number of accidents being recorded has not changed by much since the lights were installed.
And at Trench Lock, which had traffic lights installed as part of a new layout in 2006, the accident rate has actually gone up slightly, to about seven each year compared to just over six a year before the changes.
According to the Highways Agency there has been ‘no significant change’ at Emstrey but there has been a slight decrease at Dobbies.
A Telford & Wrekin Council spokesman said lights were installed at Trench Lock in March 2006 to improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists, to manage a predicted growth in traffic and to give more priority to buses and taxis.
“There were an average of 6.2 accidents per year over the five years prior to the changes, which included three accidents involving four pedestrians, he said.
“Over the five years since the changes there has been a slight rise to an average of seven accidents per year but none of these recorded accidents involved pedestrians, the primary objective the changes sought to address.
“However, we continuously monitor accident records and patterns.”
The Highways Agency said there were 14 accidents at the Emstrey roundabout between 2006 and lights being installed in 2009, and 10 between June 2009 and June 2011.
At Dobbies Island there were 21 accidents between 2005 and 2008, and 11 between 2008 and 2011.
A spokesman said: “Accident data shows no significant change in the average number of incidents at Emstrey roundabout, both before and after the traffic signals were installed, while early indications suggests a decrease at Dobbies.
“However, even where a scheme is delivered on safety grounds, it is important to note that accident data would normally have to be considered over a much longer time period before benefits can be attributed with any certainty.
“Safety continues to be a key priority.”
Comments for: "New traffic lights fail to cut crash figures"
Alec
Most the accidents at Emstry and Dobbies islands are down to driver error and poor signage on the approch to the islands, the amount of people i have seen cutting lanes in both this islands is unbelivable especially Dobbies where drivers are in the middle lane on the island trying to get in to the services,
A Kynes
One of the main problems with the Trench Lock system is the increasing number of mindless drivers who recklessly jump red lights.
On one occasion I was stopped at red light at Trench Road and one idiot sped right through, luckily there was no other traffic across the island.
The only way to combat these idiots is to have cameras installed.
Pauline
Spot on, the number of drivers that go through on red at Trench Lock is staggering, I'm surprised nobody has been killed.
Martin
Totally agree. The number of idiots that go straight through red lights at Trench Lock is unbelievable. I wish the police would have a campaign to catch a few of them before there is a serious accident.
towbar
Dream On Martin. West Mercia Police Force has NO traffic division. All enforcement is the responsiblity of the Central Motorway Police Group based at Perry Barr. It's traffic cars rarely venture off the west Midlands motorways and the chance of even seeing one on Shropshire's roads is as unlikely as seeing a uniformed police officer on duty ANYWHERE on the streets of Telford.
towbar
Hardly surprising .The West Mercia police
force DOES NOT have a traffic division. All policing of drivers,their habits and their vehicles is the responsibility of the CMPG which is conspicuous by it's absence.
Suzanne
just the other week I was coming down the Eastern Primary and the lights were on green and suddenly from Trench a BMW decided that the lights werent for them and cut straight in front of me. Luckily I had slowed right down.
They are a waste of time
Colin
These are roundabouts and ludicrous that they are controlled by lights, let them be roundabouts. The lights force traffic to queue in the firing line around a blind bend hidden by cars A posts......but what do I know!
Kelly
"At Dobbies Island there were 21 accidents between 2005 and 2008, and 11 between 2008 and 2011."
So the accidents have nearly halved then.
Michael Wilkinson
Emstry Island traffic lights are,generally, ok.
What is clear however that the lanes on the rounabout are too narrow,especially the A5 Eastbound onto the island.
Its physically impossible for an articulated lorry to stay within the marked lane as the entry to the roundabout is almost 90 degrees.
The island in the centre need reducing in size and the lanes making wider and with a gentler access radius.
The highways agency are aware of this problem and are "monitoring" the situation.
Bigcat 178
I totally agree about Emstry. Its a case that if you come down from Weeping Cross to go down the old A5 (B5061) towards Atcham it can only take approx 6 vehicles if you are held up at the lights and if an Artic or HGV is there before you the guy at the back usually sticks out into the lanes going down to Preston Island on the A5. I know I've been caught like that a few times! Also people still approach it from Preston and Dobbies islands going too fast.
Trench Foot
The biggest problem at Trench Lock is that the painted signage on the road has worn away, thus making lane lines and direction signs invisible.
This is a major problem when approaching along the A518 from Donnington / Newport direction
When you get to the first set of traffic lights there are two lanes. As you bear left you then get 3 lanes, (left lane to Trench, Middle lane to A442 to Telford Town Centre, and right hand lane to Hadley or A442.
When the lines were first painted on the road, they clearly showed which lane you needed to be in. Now they have "vanished" through wear and tear, cars are cutting across lanes, and accidents are happening
I suggest T&W line painting dept. get down to Trench Lock ASAP and paint back the road signage
Suzanne
Trench Lock light infuriate me!!
Approached the lights coming down the Eastern Primary which were on green and luckily slowed down because a BMW driver from the Trench direction decided he wasnt waiting for any lights and cut straight across the front of me.
What is the point of lights if idiots like that arent going to stop anyway
Only wished I had caught sight of his registration number
Drone
You must be very unlucky, having this happen to you twice!
Suzanne
Actually it has happened to me and my bloke 3 times, everytime it has been a BMW..... but not the same one, different colours.
Gringo you are probably right!
Gringo
Did you not know that the rules of the road don't apply to BMW drivers!!
JOHN JONES
Are indicators an optional extra on B.M.W.s and Audi's. Because they don't seem to have them fitted.
jeffb
I just can not understand why Taxis enjoy priority at any lights they are a commercial venture and only usually carry 2 or 3 people no more than any cars. Stop them using bus lanes and any other priority benefits.
dan
there is this little trick you can do on trench lock, you can get of the line just a split second before they change, so as your crossing the line they are changing, i do this every time and sorry i drive a bmw, but i also do it in my van.sorry not going to stop doing it as it is like a drag start there some times and 2 lanes go in to one at such a short distance and you can see the other drivers trying to barge there way in, at least my way i am gone and out the way.
Drone
Wow Dan, you're really cool, how do I get to be like you??
Tony
Wow Dan, what a hero you are, i wonder how many accidents YOU have caused, typical car driver thinking ONLY of YOURSELF.
roadrunner
http://www.shropshirestar.com/news/2012/06/14/safety-worries-may-lead-to-shrewsbury-road-change/
Oh well, at least the Highways Agency are prepared to hold their hands up and admit to mistakes and try to improve things.....now all we need, are the bright sparks in Local Authorities Highways departments, to admit that they aren't the traffic engineering Gods that they think they are.
liverbird
the lanes on emstrey island are a disaster they wind over each other rather than being true concentric circles and thus force traffic out in front of mving vehicles no wonder there are accidents