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'Traffic lights may solve' Ikea roundabout problem
A driving instructor claims the lane markings on the Ikea roundabout are inaccurate and dangerous.
Dave Beresford reckons the roundabout layout in Giltbrook, near the Ikea retail park, is "against all the rules of the highway code" and says it is no wonder it causes traffic chaos.
But highways authority Nottinghamshire County Council says problems only occur when drivers do not use the lanes correctly.
As motorists leave Ikea, there are two lanes.
One is for going left, straight on or right.
The other one is for cars turning right only. But, Mr Beresford says problems occur when drivers in both lanes want to turn right towards Ilkeston.
He said motorists joining the roundabout from Ilkeston turning right into Kimberley have no right of way because of both lanes turning right from Ikea.
He said: "Problems occur because vehicles from the other three approaches are following a different set of lane disciplines to the Ikea car park traffic."
He says the only way the roundabout will work will be to have it controlled by traffic lights.
The current layout causes serious congestion through surrounding villages at rush hour.
Borough councillor Richard Robinson and Broxtowe MP Nick Palmer, have been asking the county council to do something about it since last August.
Cllr Robinson said: "All the council has done about the problem is alter the traffic signal phasing but it's the lane markings that's the hub of the problem.
"I think what Mr Beresford says is right but it's getting the council to listen."
Cllr Robinson and Mr Palmer had a meeting with county officials and retail park owners, British Land, in February about the traffic problems and asked them to look specifically at the lane markings.
The council said it would carry out a safety audit. Landowner British Land said it would commit to encouraging drivers to use the underground car park there at busy times.
Chris Gough, principal project engineer in the traffic engineering team at the county council, said: "The right turn issue at the Gilt Hill roundabout is based on incorrect driving.
"Drivers turning right from IKEA in the nearside lane should not enter the roundabout alongside a vehicle turning right from the A610 towards Kimberley.
"This is a complicated junction and the council is working closely with all concerned bodies, including British Land, to try to resolve the traffic issues as best we can."
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Weather for Eastwood
Thursday 24 May 2012
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