M4 roadworks - its all about safety
Discussion
So, we had months of roadworks on the M4 near Bath to put in a ½-arsed crawler lane that will probably cause accidents where lane 4 is forced to merge with lane 3.
The works themselves were protected by a contra-flow, a concrete barrier and a clear lane and yet the decision was made to stick a 40 limit on it for the duration and install (very profitable) GATSO cameras.
Now that the works proper are complete, I was suprised to find at the weekend a large workforce present protected by only a row of cones and a 50 limit. Where's the sense / consistency in that?
The works themselves were protected by a contra-flow, a concrete barrier and a clear lane and yet the decision was made to stick a 40 limit on it for the duration and install (very profitable) GATSO cameras.
Now that the works proper are complete, I was suprised to find at the weekend a large workforce present protected by only a row of cones and a 50 limit. Where's the sense / consistency in that?
[quote=pdV6]So, we had months of roadworks on the M4 near Bath to put in a ½-arsed crawler lane that will probably cause accidents where lane 4 is forced to merge with lane 3.
quote]
Totally agree that the road planners haven't got a clue, I can't believe they expect it to be safe merging lane 4 in to lane 3, even now, with light traffic levels you end up with the middle lane numptys confused and sitting in lane 3 when you have about 100 yards before lane 4 disappears. Roll on Summer and tourist season I just can't wait for accidents to happen. (Just realised whilst typing, if they can increase the level of accidents then they can ask for another Scamera site to be made availabe, common sense !!)
The M25 has the crawler lanes and on there it is the crawler lanes that merges with lane 1. To me it seems the safer solution who got paid to draft the solution at Bath ?? they ought to be shot.
quote]
Totally agree that the road planners haven't got a clue, I can't believe they expect it to be safe merging lane 4 in to lane 3, even now, with light traffic levels you end up with the middle lane numptys confused and sitting in lane 3 when you have about 100 yards before lane 4 disappears. Roll on Summer and tourist season I just can't wait for accidents to happen. (Just realised whilst typing, if they can increase the level of accidents then they can ask for another Scamera site to be made availabe, common sense !!)
The M25 has the crawler lanes and on there it is the crawler lanes that merges with lane 1. To me it seems the safer solution who got paid to draft the solution at Bath ?? they ought to be shot.
seesure said:
So, we had months of roadworks on the M4 near Bath to put in a ½-arsed crawler lane that will probably cause accidents where lane 4 is forced to merge with lane 3.
Totally agree that the road planners haven't got a clue, I can't believe they expect it to be safe merging lane 4 in to lane 3, even now, with light traffic levels you end up with the middle lane numptys confused and sitting in lane 3 when you have about 100 yards before lane 4 disappears. Roll on Summer and tourist season I just can't wait for accidents to happen. (Just realised whilst typing, if they can increase the level of accidents then they can ask for another Scamera site to be made availabe, common sense !!)
The M25 has the crawler lanes and on there it is the crawler lanes that merges with lane 1. To me it seems the safer solution who got paid to draft the solution at Bath ?? they ought to be shot.
I'm not sure about this - thinking it through it's a damn sight easier for a car to merge with lane 3 than for a lorry to merge with lane 2 when it's already crawling because of the incline.
However the first time you barrel along in lane 4 and suddenly it disappears is a bit disconcerting. some sign other than a small arrow painted on the road might help a bit!
It's the same set up on the M5 North bound, new crawler lane after the Avonmouth bridge.
The fourth lane merges into the third, lots of skid marks there already! A few weeks ago the motorway was closed due to an accident at that point. Like you say, whoever gets paid to design this should be sacked. How do they get away with it?
Far safer merging from the nearside, it's no different than entering from the sliproad, why confuse things and deliberately make it more dangerous?
The fourth lane merges into the third, lots of skid marks there already! A few weeks ago the motorway was closed due to an accident at that point. Like you say, whoever gets paid to design this should be sacked. How do they get away with it?
Far safer merging from the nearside, it's no different than entering from the sliproad, why confuse things and deliberately make it more dangerous?
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