Here at the Gurn we are hearing reports of increased traffic light delays through the town. One regular Gurnite told us on Thusday night that he recently took fifty minutes to travel from Tradespark to the Lochloy area. Here is a picture from another reader illustrating the build ups that the town seems to be suffering just now.
Update: thanks for the reaction out there from the Gurnshire twitterati.
Update Sunday night 17/02/13: The Association of Nairn business are calling on Nairn residents to e-mail transport Scotland and Scottish Government ministers on the subject of these delay. They publish a copy of a hard-hitting meassage they have sent which includes the following:
"Prior to the opening of a new supermarket on the outskirts of the town in 2011 , Nairn was (at Transport Scotland’s bidding), shackled with an additional four sets of traffic lights and one extra pedestrian crossing . This brought the total amount of traffic lights and pedestrian controlled crossings in the town to nine in just over 1½ miles of road.
Since the installation of the new lights and their integration into existing system, no more than a few weeks ever pass where the traffic control system functions anywhere near what might be laughingly described as ‘effectively’.
The town is regularly gridlocked and protests and suggestions made at recent consultations with Transport Scotland/ Bear seem to have been ignored.
Since late last week, some issue has arisen and the traffic lights have been causing ridiculous delays for drivers trying to pass through Nairn from west to east; a journey that should take 5 or 6 minutes, even at a busy time is now taking 15-20, even on a Sunday.
I don’t really care how many ‘engineers’ may have assessed the system ( particularly the light at the A96/ Lochloy Road junction , which seem to be the main culprits) but in non-technical terms , it doesn’t work.
Those poor souls who are left trying to negotiate the ineffective and unnecessary gauntlet of lights at the moment must be left wondering if the person that designed them had just wandered into Transport Scotland off the street on that given day . If not, following either the Peter, or Dilbert’s principle , you should offer him a place in the government, as he’s a natural. " more here.
Update: thanks for the reaction out there from the Gurnshire twitterati.
Update Sunday night 17/02/13: The Association of Nairn business are calling on Nairn residents to e-mail transport Scotland and Scottish Government ministers on the subject of these delay. They publish a copy of a hard-hitting meassage they have sent which includes the following:
"Prior to the opening of a new supermarket on the outskirts of the town in 2011 , Nairn was (at Transport Scotland’s bidding), shackled with an additional four sets of traffic lights and one extra pedestrian crossing . This brought the total amount of traffic lights and pedestrian controlled crossings in the town to nine in just over 1½ miles of road.
Since the installation of the new lights and their integration into existing system, no more than a few weeks ever pass where the traffic control system functions anywhere near what might be laughingly described as ‘effectively’.
The town is regularly gridlocked and protests and suggestions made at recent consultations with Transport Scotland/ Bear seem to have been ignored.
Since late last week, some issue has arisen and the traffic lights have been causing ridiculous delays for drivers trying to pass through Nairn from west to east; a journey that should take 5 or 6 minutes, even at a busy time is now taking 15-20, even on a Sunday.
I don’t really care how many ‘engineers’ may have assessed the system ( particularly the light at the A96/ Lochloy Road junction , which seem to be the main culprits) but in non-technical terms , it doesn’t work.
Those poor souls who are left trying to negotiate the ineffective and unnecessary gauntlet of lights at the moment must be left wondering if the person that designed them had just wandered into Transport Scotland off the street on that given day . If not, following either the Peter, or Dilbert’s principle , you should offer him a place in the government, as he’s a natural. " more here.
22 comments:
Same happened to me. 20 mins today to get from West End Garage out to Sainsburys.
Traffic lights at Lochloy road ends seem to be the issue.
Personally I don't think that Transport Scotland give a toss about Nairn, they are taking the p***.
Consultations done........action taken.....none... but they 'consulted'.
Apprarently any future Lochloy development is so far off their radar that they don't even consider the effects on the A96.So be warned, it's only going to get worse.
Lack of Council spine and incremental nature of developments have resulted in no road bridge over the railway, which should have been built long before now.
Seems to mainly affect traffic going west to east. Only needs one set of lights to be not set right and the traffic becomes chaotic. It's been going for days now with no sign of a fix
20 minutes from first set of traffic lights (Inverness side) to Lochloy. Just disgraceful. What is going on??? Transport Scotland & Highland Council do not give a dam and I think its only going to get worse....nightmare.
Have already written to Minister and to MSP and to Transport Scotland. Not sure what is causing the problem - since the tail end of last week it has regularly taken 20 or 30 minutes to get from Moss-side to the High Street.
If you can take a few minutes to email the Gurn - please also email scottish.ministers@scotland.gsi.gov.uk - to add to pressure for bypass.
Colin
We need a new rat run, the old one's getting too busy
In the long term, a bypass might solve the problem. But as Keynes said, "....in the long run, we're all dead".
The traffic problem is here, now. It's wasting fuel, adding to pollution, and costing drivers time and money. The authorities should get a grip - fast.
The short-term answer is to turn all the traffic lights off. Drivers will then navigate the crossings using their eyes and common sense (and the box junctions?) and there will be less risk of traffic jams.
Its not just the delays..
They have put like shutters over some of the lights and its very difficult to see some of them, especially if the sun is shining..
I think quite dangerous.
neilscot
Also with the traffic on the A96 so bad the high street is starting to backed up as well with a never ending stream of drivers going into the box junction at the end of Leopold Street
I contacted Bear by e-mail on Friday as it took over 10 minutes to get from Sandown to Duncan Drive. Give them there due they phoned me back within the hour probably because I was complaining about the crater at raigmore interchange which turns out belongs to another trunk road authority. But I asked if the lights ad gone out of sync because of the power cuts the day before to which the reply was the lights had been checked and weere functioning correctly. I did suggest they turn off all the additional lights to see what happens but wasn't taken on a tall.
D
It's Sunday afternoon and it took me 15 minutes from Beech Avenue to fishertown to visit my parents. Visited them and on leaving couldn't get on to roundabout due to cars blocking king street junction. Once across roundabout the traffic was still away out Duncan Drive trying to get into town. As I said its Sunday afternoon! What will it be like when school is back tomorrow.
Two o'clock Sunday afternoon, been down to the Links and came walking back up to the High Street via Gordon Street, long queue of very slow moving traffic heading in the Forres direction. This has little to do with not having a bypass but a lot to do with something wrong with the traffic lights. It's Sunday afternoon for God's sake!
Have to agree with the last two comments there have been queues for most of Sunday and the rat runs are active too.
Update, Have phone traffic scotland twice today. 1st time was getting a lift from Leopold St to Sainsburys which took 10min because of the Lochloy/Broadhill crossroad lights. On returning from Sainsbo's the traffic was out past the lights at the Moss-side junction which probably meant at least 20min to get through town. Phoned them again to tell them to put on there site but as usual nothing on it and at 4pm still slow traffic going through Nairn west to east. They have said they will put it to Bear and I await with baited breath for the call. I have tried to explain to TS that Nairn has 9 sets of lighs in little over a mile and I am sure that Elgin on the same road has 2? I stand to be corrected. D
I'm not sure if the traffic lights add to divers frustration but today I was overtaken on the A96 travelling west as I signalled to turn right into Sandown Farm Lane, luckily I had checked my mirrors. A couple of weeks back whilst turning left out of Sandown Farm Lane towards Nairn I was confronted head on by a driver who'd also decided to overtake at his dangerous junction. I know there's been talk of limiting the speed down to 30 mph but I would like to see that speed limit moved further west so that cars aren't tempted to out their foot down at that junction
I took the trouble to speak to the movers and shakers from Traffic Scotland when they held their ‘consultations’ in Nairn community centre. One looked at me and as a temporary measure asked me in all sincerity if a temporary solution might be to divert traffic through the Fishertown. I looked at him straight in the eye – and said if he wanted a lynch mob after him he could go straight ahead.
He wasn’t even aware of the 20mph limit in Fishertown for traffic safety reasons. I would like to say the situation with traffic in Nairn is laughable – it’s not.
I have noticed this traffic chaos also over the past few days. This is ultimately due to the lights at Lochloy. Why is there even a need for lights there; surely a roundabout would be more efficient?
I have done my bit and emailed both addresses on Dave's mail. I hope everyone else isn't just moaning and doing the same thing !
Why do they have two sets of lights within 30 yards of each other at Albert street and the fire station? Yo can not cross the A96 at albert street so surely a big Yellow box would have done the job for when the ligths go red at the fire station you could then pull out of Albert street!
Totally agree with the above. I am stunned by the shutters they have put onto some lights particularly going west at the A939 junction. Impossible to see the lights! What is going on....?
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
Re the shutters - just to let you know jeff Baker (optometrist) reported this to Bear about a month ago. They had them checked and concur that they restrict the ability to see the amber and green lights. But guess what! - It's got to be sorted by Sainsbury's as they put them up! I despair.He's had 2 converstaions with Bear and nought will happen apart from their reporting it to the Sainsbury Road contractor!!!!
Sheena Baker's comment just records the latest example of the authorities' "pass the buck" attitude that bedevils all decisions on the management of local traffic.
Highland Council say that it's not their business - Transport Scotland are responsible for the A96 trunk road;
Transport Scotland point out that they're not concerned with traffic that diverts off the A96 (eg via Cawdor) - because Highland Council are responsible for all non-trunk roads;
Both TS and HC look to Bear Scotland to "manage" the traffic on the A96, because Bear has the management contract;
Bear says that the operation of the traffic lights is a matter for Siemens because of the computer-controlled electronics which do the phasing;
....and Bear blames the building contractors (Barr) hired by Sainsburys for the problems of the lights, uneven pavements and disintegrating roundabout;
and Barr/Sainsburys point out, rightly, that they only provided what the expert consultants Buchanan advised and what Highland Council planners and Transport Scotland policymakers required.
And so the merry-go-round continues. No-one is in charge. Some minor tinkering is done, and the fundamental problems remain un-addressed.
As the old office slogan says: "Because Everybody says it's Somebody else's responsibility, Nobody does what Anybody can see ought to be done."
Post a Comment