I’ve just spent a very wet hour standing at the St Margarets Roundabout with two guys from Transport for London (TfL) Signals. I know a lot more about traffic lights than I did before.
My gripe is specifically over the crossing on the North St Margarets side, on the Northbound side. Frequently. people turning left from the A316 don’t see the crossing, or assume it is the Northbound filter light, and go straight through the crossing when the light is red.
This is made worse by the fact that on one side of the road, the corner is completely blind, and so traffic can’t see a person waiting to cross, which otherwise would trigger the thought that it might be a pedestrian crossing, what TfL called a problem with “intervisibility”.
There a number of things that the Signals people can and will do. They are extending the crossing times across the whole roundabout. What that means is that the green man will be an “Invitation to Cross”, leaving something like 7-8 seconds when both the red man and the red light are displayed when you can still cross safely (at 1.2 metres per second, apparently). It’s a bit confusing as you usually associate the red man with danger, but I’m sure we’ll get used to it. But it will help safety
A major bonus for anyone crossing the A316 South to North is that if you push the right hand side of the two “WAIT” buttons, it will operate the crossing on both sides of the road ie, you will not have to wait on the middle island. This requires new software which will take a few months.
But here’s the big issue. To make the crossing (and its twin on the St Margarets side) safe, it needs to be moved 4-5 meters up the road (NB this is only one side of each crossing, which means a longer island). There are replacement works planned in the next few years, but this will not incorporate moving the signals, just getting new ones.
To get the crossings moved it needs Richmond and TfL Highways to agree a scheme, and to fund it. And guess what, Richmond has a pot of money that can only be used for transport projects that it got from the CCTV camera outside Tesco. It would be fitting if that money were used to improve local road safety.
Can I encourage concerned local residents (one of whom came up and joined the conversation with TfL!) to write to Ben Khosa (cllr.bkhosa@richmond.gov.uk) or one of our other councillors to get together with TfL and make this a reality
– from Nigel Canning
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I am pleased to read that crossing times are to increase. When will this happen? At present, crossing the A316 is a potentially lethal activity, especially to those of us with only two legs. It's high time pedestrians were given more priority, frankly.
Ben Driver on 2008-01-17 10:27:24 +0000The increased times are all part of an overall upgrade, which will include the ability to stop traffic on both sides of the A316 as outlined above. I was told three months
Nigel Cannings on 2008-01-18 15:46:57 +0000Nigel - I've just left a message with St Stephen's school office asking if you could contact me as, through the North St Margarets Residents' Association, we have arranged to meet with Peter Czachowski from TFL this Wednesday. Perhaps you could email me your mobile no, or get my home number from the school and we pool information. It's taken us nearly 2 years of emailing to get this far so do want to make the most of it. Hilary
Hilary Thomson on 2008-01-21 14:07:17 +0000Hilary, Nigel - my observations that will no doubt coincide with yours to a degree. East bound traffic speed along the A316 toward the end of the green sequence is on average 35 mph, crossing the roundabout and many left turning vehicles enter St Margarets Road at speeds up to 30 mph. Typical stopping distance at 30 mph is 23 metres- 6 car lenght. (Highway Code)
Perhaps the pedestrian crossing should be located further south, away from the roundabout and without an island. (like the crossing near the Ailsa Tavern)
Extending the time for pedestrians to cross is contemplated; where will this time come from? Will it result in less frequent changes of sequences? At present impatient pedestrians cross when the lights are still red for them. A disturbing practice, particularly when parents/grandparents with children are waiting for the green light. It is difficult enough to teach children road dicipline if it is not practiced by what children see as grown ups.
Gerhard Schellberg on 2008-01-21 21:41:55 +0000Hilary - I tried to call you on the number Ruth gave me. You can e-mail me direct on nigelcannings at gmail.com
You met the same guy I did, so hopefully he said the same to you as to me. It seems we need TfL and the Council to commit to moving the crossing somewhere safer
Nigel Cannings on 2008-01-25 16:38:00 +0000Apologies - I met with Peter Czachowski of TFL on Wed 23rd Jan, along with Kate Holliday, Head of Governors at Orleans Infant School. Thought I'd sent an update but have checked and I had forgotten. Productive meeting with action and ways forward. Will send you short report for the website in a few mins.
Hilary Thomson on 2008-02-14 11:34:58 +0000Add a comment