There were still considerable build-ups in the town centre this morning around 0900 a.m. but the delays did not seem to be so bad today for some reason. Again some drivers were not leaving the King Street roundabout clear for motorists to exit the Fishertown and there were queues in Leopold Street as access to the A96 was often restricted by lack of space on the A96. Quite often the various lights were green but nothing was moving. Pictures from this morning here.
It is a beautiful morning in Nairn and where the sun hits the frost it is lifting quickly. There is no wind however, and the smell of traffic fumes hangs over the part of the town centre where the A96 threads its way through.
For all the latest comment on the delays caused recently by the traffic lights see this article
UPDATE: would anyone agree with the following opinion expressed by regular reader Ray?
"What's all the fuss about ? The Glenurquhart Road Fools' traffic lights have resulted in the establishment of a natural by-pass as a result of natural evolution.... It's called 'Cawdor'..... Park in the village for half an hour and watch 32-tonners thundering thro. the village and 'white-van-man' doing a good 60mph in the restricted area. Better still, get some of the so-called councillors and road-planners to accompany you.
Regards,
Ray"
If we are going to apportion blame, it needs to be laid at the door of those responsible and that, for once, is not in Glenurquhart Road.
ReplyDeleteTransport Scotland insisted, as part of Sainsburys getting permission to build their store in Nairn, that the extra lights be installed.
It's Tranport's Scotland fault. Couldn't find their own backsides in the dark.
The Cawdor rat run started decades ago, even pre the Auldearn bypass which in itself was was supposed to shelter the village from traffic but drivers still chose to use it. And traffic then threads its way till it reaches Cawdor. The route is probably even more popular now with the Nairn traffic lights in place, so many small communities are blighted by traffic
ReplyDeleteThe problem is only really going to be resolved by having less traffic on our roads. This suggestion is about as popular as a lead balloon but its true. New cars go onto our roads each year at a quicker rate than we build new roads which results in some of the traffic issues we see locally
I thought there was going to be KEEP CLEAR signs painted on the mini roundabout.
ReplyDeleteI was saddened when I saw the photos of the traffic on St. Ninian Road where I was born and grew up and where I used to play safely and walk to the Links. To me this traffic mess is taking away the very essence of my home town. Instead of being a great holiday town, it is looking like an industrial estate. Have the powers that be thought about using the railway instead of lorries? The pollution must be horrendous.
ReplyDeleteWhat do visitors to Nairn think, expecting to come to "The Brighton of the North"? Would roundabouts instead of traffic lights be better? Maybe a proper motorway or expressway from Inverness to Aberdeen bypassing such places as Nairn and Forres etc. It was done here in NZ from Auckland to Hamilton, a similar distance over about 25 years, journey time has been cut at least by 50% and what was a high road fatality stretch of road now rarely has a fatal accident. I visit gurn every day, cheers, Min Davidson.
Spurtle says, "It's Transport Scotland's fault. Couldn't find their own backsides in the dark.".
ReplyDeleteWell, someone needs to go looking for the aforementioned backsides and deliver a good kicking.
Volunteers form a queue - at the nearest set of lights!