Assessment of need for Brook Lane roundabout complete

brooklane

As previously reported on alderleyedge.com, Alderley Edge Parish Council agreed to spend up to £1000 so the viability of introducing a mini roundabout - to improve traffic flow at busy times and act as a traffic calming measure at less busy times - at the junction of Brook Lane and Wilmslow Road can be assessed.

A stage 1 assessment was carried out by Ringway Jacobs in May 2016 following a request by our local ward member Councillor Craig Browne for a mini-roundabout at the junction of Wilmslow Road and Brook Lane.

This initial assessment was undertaken to consider the feasibility of a mini-roundabout and included an analysis of the location, existing conditions, and collision data summary.

An analysis of the injury collision data for the 5 year period, 1st January 2011 to 31st December 2015, was carried out. During this period there have been 5 reported injury collisions, one of which resulted in serious injury, and the remaining four, slight injury.

Ringway Jacobs concluded from the initial assessment that "Collision data and available road width backs up the justification for a stage 2 assessment to be undertaken".

The second stage of assessment has just been completed in order to ascertain whether a mini-roundabout is an appropriate junction improvement option by evaluating the following factors: visibility, vehicle speed, road character, traffic volume, number of arms, traffic composition, vulnerable road users, road network and noise/vibration.

Councillor Braig Browne said "CE Highways are currently analysing the data that has recently been collected and as soon as I have the report, I will make it available to the Parish Council and local residents. I will try to arrange for hard copies of both the Stage 1 and Stage 2 reports to be placed at Alderley Edge Library, also."

He added "It is still possible that the assessment might not support the case for a mini roundabout; however, I have received assurances that if this is the case, then we will be able to have traffic lights instead. My personal preference though is for a roundabout, because I believe this will not only assist vehicular egress from Brook Lane (turning right into the village), but also make it easier for vehicles turning right into Brook Lane, as well as helping to maintain a steady traffic flow from Wilmslow into the village."

Speaking about the £1000 cost, Councillor Browne explained "It should really have been funded by the Local Highways Partnership (CEC), but I had already had more than my fair share of their £24,000 annual budget, funding projects like Talbot Road, Macclesfield Road, South Street and West Street etc, so they actually had no money left for 2016/17.

"I therefore asked Alderley Edge Parish Council to contribute £1,000 for the assessment (which they did from this year's contingency budget) in the interests of moving the project forwards. Otherwise, I knew it would be at least another 12 months before we would even be able to get the assessment carried out. As it is, I am now hoping that the cost of the roundabout itself will be able to be included in CEC's 2017/18 capital budget."

Do you think a roundabout is needed at the top of Brook Lane? Or would you prefer traffic lights to be installed? Share your views via the comment box below.

Tags:
Brook Lane
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

Comments

Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.

Margaret Seddon
Tuesday 11th October 2016 at 2:44 pm
I think that a roundabout is a more sensible option
Vince Chadwick
Tuesday 11th October 2016 at 4:19 pm
The problem with roundabout is they give equal priority to all roads they serve. In this location we have the very busy A34 and far less busy Brook Lane, so a roundabout will mean easier egress from Brook lane but at the disproportionate cost of holding up the A34 flow.

Traffic lights can be adjusted to proritise the busier road, being 'green' for longer for A34 traffic, of which there is more, than for Brook Lane traffic.

As a resident who often turns right out of Brook Lane into Alderley, the selfish view would be to go for the roundabout. But taking a holistic view, traffic lights would be the more sensible fit at this junction.
Mike O'Rourke
Wednesday 12th October 2016 at 8:37 am
The problem I find with roundabouts is that drivers on the "through route" still think they have priority. If you are waiting on Brook Lane to turn right, drivers charging up or down London Road will carry on as if you weren't there. Technically if you are on the roundabout first, they have to stop but its taking a risk.
Charlie Gaughan
Thursday 13th October 2016 at 6:55 am
Why not switch the street lights back on that could help at night make roundabouts safer
Alan Brough
Thursday 13th October 2016 at 9:27 am
Mike,

Whilst I agree that in practice the situation you describe is likely to happen, this is due to ignorance of the Highway Code rather than anything else.

The rule is that on approaching a roundabout you give way to traffic coming from the right.

So, in theory, traffic emerging from Brook Lane would give way to traffic approaching from Alderley Edge, whilst traffic approaching from Wilmslow would give way to traffic coming from Brook Lane.

My guess is that a mini roundabout in that position would cause traffic from all directions to stop (at least momentarily) with a positive effect for traffic emerging from Brook Lane, a pretty neutral effect for Northbound traffic and a very negative effect for Southbound traffic.

It is just a guess though.
Chris Howlison
Friday 14th October 2016 at 6:44 pm
The traffic on the A34 is held up badly in both directions each morning in this area, far more than the delay for Brook Lane traffic. Either lights or an island will only make it worse.