The oval rat run

[DILLIGAF]

This is a letter that I have sent to to our councillor today in the hope that I receive a response. I am sure that is also an issue in other areas, but when you are not even trying to join the que and waiting excessively, something needs to be done. As for the road surface saga - well its just a joke considering it’s a “new†development! I’ve driven on smoother farm tracks.

I am writing to you in the hope that you may be able to help resolve some issues we are having on Woodward Avenue (formally Broxash Drive)

Every weekday morning we have problems with traffic using the street as a rat run on to Belmont Road which is causing queues of traffic on our street and problems for residents not being able to manoeuvre vehicles on or off driveways. This morning the traffic was particularly bad on the street and vehicles were queuing up as far as the top of the road next to the children's playground and blocking every driveway. I came out of the house this morning with my 5 year old to take her to school in Madley and despite all the traffic seeing me getting in my car, not one car left me any room for me to pull off my driveway. When the traffic started moving I slowly started to pull of my driveway only for another car to then pull forward, blocking me again, and refusing to move for me to be able to come off my drive, despite me telling them I wanted to go in the opposite direction to them. When I was eventually given space to reverse off the drive I was unable to see down the road to see if anything was coming the other way as the vehicles were obscuring my view, I was lucky that there wasn't a car coming as there would have been no way I would have seen them, or them see me.

There are also problems with drivers speeding down the road, especially towards the earlier part of the morning before the majority of the traffic builds up on the street.

The road itself is an utter mess with major potholes all along the street and the extra traffic using the road is only going to make things worse, we have been told by the highways agency that despite this area being classed as a new development, there are no funds available to resurface this road.

Unfortunately I think at some point in the future if these issues are not addressed there will be an accident on the street, whether due to speeding vehicles, poor condition of the road, or queuing traffic obscuring residents view/access off or on driveways.
 

 

[Frank Smith]

I use this Oval as a rat run and I have done for many years, why wouldn't I? It saves me at least 20 mins or more from my journey, tbh only local people would be aware and it will only be for an hour or so during the week, so i do not see what the problem is here? I have been using this rat run way before these houses were ever there. I am not being awkward but if local people didn't use these little runs there would be even more traffic sat on the belmont rd.

[H.Wilson]

I use this Oval as a rat run and I have done for many years, why wouldn't I? It saves me at least 20 mins or more from my journey, tbh only local people would be aware and it will only be for an hour or so during the week, so i do not see what the problem is here? I have been using this rat run way before these houses were ever there. I am not being awkward but if local people didn't use these little runs there would be even more traffic sat on the belmont rd.

 

I have to admit I also drive from Belmont across into Waterfield Road and out through the Oval for the same reasons that Frank has highlighted above, surely this is what rat runs are for? 

[ragwert]

It was the same when I lived up the farm for 14 years.
I used to overtake the rat runners down by Oval and pop out the other side of road most days.

[DILLIGAF]

Understandably yes. Speeding no. Blocking my drive no. Courtesy yes. If you do use it please don’t block my drive. There are plenty of gaps in between drives to wait patiently. You wouldn’t block a junction, so why block my driveway?

I hear that cooking oil on the windshield is not easy to remove - prolonging your journey!

Take this as you will.

[DILLIGAF]

I’ve also received a reply from the councillor. His explanation totally missed the point and stated that the issue is caused by the roadworks on Belmont Road!!

I’ll post it later.

[Slim]

Your quote:-

. "When I was eventually given space to reverse off the drive I was unable to see down the road to see if anything was coming the other way as the vehicles were obscuring my view,"

 

Without incurring your wrath, and raising your blood pressure anymore, and, God forgive, getting a face full of cooking oil, I would humbly mention that it is illegal to reverse onto a main carriageway - simply for the reason you mention. You cannot see what is travelling down the road! Same as parking to face oncoming traffic. You cannot see safely.

[Mick]

Understandably yes. Speeding no. Blocking my drive no. Courtesy yes. If you do use it please don’t block my drive. There are plenty of gaps in between drives to wait patiently. You wouldn’t block a junction, so why block my driveway?

I hear that cooking oil on the windshield is not easy to remove - prolonging your journey!

Take this as you will.

 

I agree with no speeding but what difference is not blocking your drive going to do? You cant move anyway if there is a traffic queue?

[Denise Lloyd]

Same old if everybody was just a little bit courteous on the roads the majority of traffic problems would be solved or perhaps if they left the house 5 minutes earlier they would not be in the tear arse hurry on the roads!!

[Glenda Powell]

Woodward Ave (Broxash drive) is not a main carriageway but a residential street. The main carriageway around Newton Farm is The Oval, Charlton Ave, Masefield Ave, Waterfield road, Brampton Road where ordinary traffic including buses get around the estate coming into Newton Farm from Belmont road then exiting back on to Belmont Road via the streets mentioned. The builders site office is at the bottom of Woodward Ave any traffic travelling along this street is residents and any  site office vehicles. To blame the traffic on road works on Belmont which is past Belmont Abbey is ridiculous!

[DILLIGAF]

Thankyou Glenda. You beat me to it! Slim you’re lucky 🤨

Mick- I travel south towards Madley therefore not wishing to join the que, merely exit my driveway.

I am now however going to park on the road before the traffic builds upon the morning. They’ll just have to manoeuvre around my vehicle. It’s just not on.

[ragwert]

The answer to this is to make Southolme Road a no vehicles except for access road from the roundabout

[Glenda Powell]

 This problem started because people in their wisdom or so they thought saw the traffic at the Belmont roundabout and made a detour down Southolme Rd into Waterfield rd thinking they would get out onto Belmont Rd again via the Oval and they are wrong. People already in the line of traffic on Belmont Rd won't let them exit the Oval (and who can blame them) after standing in traffic for anything up to a hour, the people standing to exit the Oval think they will  be willing to let a stream of traffic out in front of them. I see the build-up of traffic every morning outside my home in Charlton Ave at a standstill for anything up to 30 minutes including buses, the fumes from the running engines is not pleasant but that is the official  carriage way we are not allowed to moan. The vehicles from the building site at the Oval doesn't help, now today they have dug up the road in Charlton Ave,  I don't know why or any reason to do so.

[Mick]

 This problem started because people in their wisdom or so they thought saw the traffic at the Belmont roundabout and made a detour down Southolme Rd into Waterfield rd thinking they would get out onto Belmont Rd again via the Oval and they are wrong. People already in the line of traffic on Belmont Rd won't let them exit the Oval (and who can blame them) after standing in traffic for anything up to a hour, the people standing to exit the Oval think they will  be willing to let a stream of traffic out in front of them. I see the build-up of traffic every morning outside my home in Charlton Ave at a standstill for anything up to 30 minutes including buses, the fumes from the running engines is not pleasant but that is the official  carriage way we are not allowed to moan. The vehicles from the building site at the Oval doesn't help, now today they have dug up the road in Charlton Ave,  I don't know why or any reason to do so.

 

You are wrong Glenda, they let me out at the Oval with very little effort and this is why local people use this rat run,it saves quite a lot of time, think about it, if it wasn't effective no-one would use it.

[ragwert]

 This problem started because people in their wisdom or so they thought saw the traffic at the Belmont roundabout and made a detour down Southolme Rd into Waterfield rd thinking they would get out onto Belmont Rd again via the Oval and they are wrong. People already in the line of traffic on Belmont Rd won't let them exit the Oval (and who can blame them) after standing in traffic for anything up to a hour, the people standing to exit the Oval think they will  be willing to let a stream of traffic out in front of them. I see the build-up of traffic every morning outside my home in Charlton Ave at a standstill for anything up to 30 minutes including buses, the fumes from the running engines is not pleasant but that is the official  carriage way we are not allowed to moan. The vehicles from the building site at the Oval doesn't help, now today they have dug up the road in Charlton Ave,  I don't know why or any reason to do so.

Glenda...I have never ever in the 14 years I lived in Brampton Road been sat in traffic for an hour to get out of Belmont Road.

[Glenda Powell]

Mick, it is you that is wrong! it isn't all local people trying to get out of the Oval otherwise we have no problem, lorries frequently come off Belmont roundabout to get out of the line of traffic I have seen them myself, and I have myself been sat on a bus in traffic for up to an hour when coming out of Tesco and going into town.

 

Ragwert, in the 14 years you haven't lived in Newton Farm things have got considerably worse, I have live in Charlton Ave for 42 years we never had this problem up to 5 years ago, and the development traffic around the Oval definitely hasn't helped the shopkeepers are moaning on a daily basis ( it may have changed in the last 3 months while in hospital for major heart surgery) but in the past 3 weeks Ive been home the traffic is at a  standstill again early in the morning outside my home.

 And before someone tries to correct me again, they have decided not to dig the road up outside my home for some reason they erected the railings yesterday and pulled them down this morning leaving them lying on the grass.

[Denise Lloyd]

Hope you are on the mend now Glenda thought you had been very quiet of late!

 

When I travelled the Belmont Road on a regular basis and coming from Kingstone I used watch the cars take the short cut and I would do my level best not to let any vehicle in that I recognised.  People who try to jump the queue really boil my proverbial.  Belmont Road is clogged up and it is made even slower when more drivers than there should be are trying to join the queue from the right.

[Mick]

Mick, it is you that is wrong! it isn't all local people trying to get out of the Oval otherwise we have no problem, lorries frequently come off Belmont roundabout to get out of the line of traffic I have seen them myself, and I have myself been sat on a bus in traffic for up to an hour when coming out of Tesco and going into town.

 

Ragwert, in the 14 years you haven't lived in Newton Farm things have got considerably worse, I have live in Charlton Ave for 42 years we never had this problem up to 5 years ago, and the development traffic around the Oval definitely hasn't helped the shopkeepers are moaning on a daily basis ( it may have changed in the last 3 months while in hospital for major heart surgery) but in the past 3 weeks Ive been home the traffic is at a  standstill again early in the morning outside my home.

 And before someone tries to correct me again, they have decided not to dig the road up outside my home for some reason they erected the railings yesterday and pulled them down this morning leaving them lying on the grass.

 

Glenda, I am not going to get into an argument with you but what I will tell you is that I use the route everyday and everyday I have absolutely no problem getting out onto the Belmont Road. I understand what you are saying is that the cars do back up into Charlton Ave but that is down to just numbers and all the building work that is going on around you, if they were not being let out onto the main road the queues would be up around Brampton Road. 

[Glenda Powell]

Mick I have no intention or desire to get into a argument with you, it is apparent from your replies at the beginning of this post when answering Diligaf that you think it is alright to make Newton Farm into a rat run!!!

[Mick]

Mick I have no intention or desire to get into a argument with you, it is apparent from your replies at the beginning of this post when answering Diligaf that you think it is alright to make Newton Farm into a rat run!!!

 

You are now to to defuse our conversation..Yes I do think it is okay to use these roads, I pay my car tax so I am entitled to drive where I choose, that is the first thing, secondly I have used this run for years, these houses were not there a year ago and already I see complaints, when really the complaints should be aimed at the highways agency, if they put roundabouts back and reduced the amount of traffic lights things would run a lot smoother, this is evident when the traffic lights at Asda breakdown, so I support Colin and HV with their lights out campaign. It would also help if they staggered school times.

[Glenda Powell]

correction! the Oval development is now in its sixth year not one, they are behind because the builders did not pay the workers for 3 months earlier this year and the workforce walked off site that said the subject of this posting was the traffic going down Woodward Ave when it is soley  a residential street not a carriageway for all traffic. I supported the turn off of the asda lights but it has not change, and what has that got to do with the Oval? you are doing exactly what the councillor has done blame the roadworks on Belmont road, by blaming the lights at Asda!

[Mick]

correction! the Oval development is now in its sixth year not one, they are behind because the builders did not pay the workers for 3 months earlier this year and the workforce walked off site that said the subject of this posting was the traffic going down Woodward Ave when it is soley  a residential street not a carriageway for all traffic. I supported the turn off of the asda lights but it has not change, and what has that got to do with the Oval? you are doing exactly what the councillor has done blame the roadworks on Belmont road, by blaming the lights at Asda!

 

Regardless of whether this an A or B road or residential area, I have paid my road tax which entitles me to drive along these streets. I never mentioned any road works? What I did say was that THESE houses were not there a year ago. And, "if they put roundabouts back and reduced the amount of traffic lights things would run a lot smoother, this is evident when the traffic lights at Asda breakdown" and I stand by this statement.

[M. Preece]

Regardless of whether this an A or B road or residential area, I have paid my road tax which entitles me to drive along these streets. I never mentioned any road works? What I did say was that THESE houses were not there a year ago. What I did say was, "if they put roundabouts back and reduced the amount of traffic lights things would run a lot smoother, this is evident when the traffic lights at Asda breakdown" and I stand by this statement.

 

Agree with you on this one Mick, I use the route most mornings and the problem in my view stems from the traffic lights as Asda and beyond. Colin has been running a campaign with some interesting videos for years in an attempt to get them turned off or at the very least make them part time at night.

 

I have no real problem getting out from the Oval either, most motorists will let you out.

 

Glenda, it was actually DILLIGAF then mentioned roadworks in this reply:

 

I’ve also received a reply from the councillor. His explanation totally missed the point and stated that the issue is caused by the roadworks on Belmont Road!! 

I’ll post it later.

[DILLIGAF]

Ooh look what I’ve started! I was merely a little peeved that I couldn’t get off my driveway, and my road is a holding ground along with Lacey Way and Kilvert Road.

Well residents took action individually and stopped traffic from blocking their drives. This in turn has payed off and now we are back to the usual rat running. We just need to slow them down now!

Oh and it wasn’t me who mentioned roadworks, I was quoting!! yep turn them bloody Asda lights off!!