Abingdon Traffic

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Thu 26th Oct 2006

Local County Councillor for Abingdon East, Lesley Legge, has been raising residents' concerns with the new traffic system in Abingdon. Lesley says:

"I have been following up with the County Council's project officer the concerns that have arisen since the two way traffic flow in Stratton Way was instigated. In particular I have questioned the long delays to traffic moving down Ock Street and the effectiveness of the pedestrian crossing arrangements outside Coxeter's. He assures me that traffic signals engineers are monitoring current flows (and will continue to do so) and where possible adjustments to phasings have been made.

"However he stresses that the Phase 1 implementation is not yet complete and so it is no surprise that limitations to the system in its current state are painfully obvious to all.

"The electronic system linking together all signals within the town centre will not be fully operational or fully effective until the final set of signals, to be installed in Bridge Street, are introduced.

"This means that at present the system is not yet able to detect and react to the length of the Ock Street queue in the way that is intended. The signals at either end of Stratton Way are temporarily working on 'fixed time' which means that they are currently not reactive to any queue lengths.

"I have been assured that the agreed Bridge Street signals will be installed over the next 4 - 6 weeks, although no actual dates are available yet.

"In the longer term, continual ongoing monitoring is intended to pick up locations where extra road-calming, signage and traffic markings are needed both around the town centre and elsewhere in the town and surrounding villages, once the new system is fully operational.

"I believe that Abingdon has some great shops and great potential. I also believe that I speak for all Abingdon Councillors in urging Abingdonians to continue to support our traders and our local pubs and restaurants whilst these works are underway: as the signs say at the entrances to the town THE TOWN IS OPEN FOR BUSINESS."