5 July (Part 1) - Got it to a Tee
The Trinity Place roundabout - sorry, Tee junction continues to be controversial and claim the occasional victim. One of BiB’s regular correspondents came close to being that victim yesterday, but he was just a few seconds too late.
I was on the Bowling Alley roundabout when I heard the bang but not close enough to see exactly what happened, the damaged vehicles were however clear enough.
It was about 17:45 when the Magic Roundabout claimed its latest victim, this is the junction designed to look like a roundabout but which Bexley Council insists is a Tee junction.
Many motorists are totally bemused not knowing who has precedence or how they should navigate the junction safely whilst others just barge across and hope for the best. It’s
not so long ago that a police vehicle was caught out here.
Tonight¹s collision (4th July) is just another example of the inevitable
consequences of Bexley having a totally crass Highways Department. It
looks more like a roundabout than anything else. How many more
crashes and possible fatalities will it take before Bexley Council comes to
its senses and installs a central island and appropriate signage so that all
motorists know to treat it as a roundabout?
It is just a crazy junction with constant high blood pressure inducing
stand offs between the brazen and the timid with numerous near misses due to
misunderstandings as to priorities.
An additional complication is that ALL vehicles exiting Church Road are obliged to turn left towards the Magic Roundabout but if
their destination is in the Welling direction they can frequently be seen to do
a U turn in the middle of what the Council deems to be a Tee junction
much to the consternation of other motorists. If not local how else would
a driver know how to get towards Welling?
Bexley Council Highways Department has created two new roundabouts at the Gravel Hill
end of Albion Road but left the abomination at the Broadway end. A
great example of consistency. I trust we will not have to wait until whoever
thought the design was a good idea retires (or is sacked) before common sense prevails.