Ever decreasing circles

Let us consider what has been done to the junction of Burngreave Road and Gower Street. I know that a reader commented on the change at this junction some time ago but I thought I would wait a while to see if the changes would work. The fact is they don’t.

Previously all traffic turning left into Gower Street from Burngreave Road had just a 'Give Way' line to negotiate, traffic rarely had to stop and a free flowing turn could be made by all traffic, including the council's favourite - buses.

Now all traffic has to stop at the lights due to this slip lane being removed. Traffic flow is now not just twice as bad but 10 times worse! Long queues of traffic build up a peak times with lines of standing vehicles stretching far back up Burngreave Road (including buses trying to run to schedule).

Please do not tell me that it has been done in the interests of road safety or to make room for a wider footpath for pedestrians using the re-vamped Community Centre, as the only thing it has done is to provide a footpath parking area for local residents’ cars.

Still on the topic of 'left turns' let's look at what was a turn on to the Parkway from the Park Square roundabout. I could not believe my eyes when I saw that the traffic lane, for entry on the Parkway, had gone and had been grassed over!

Previously all traffic entering the Parkway did not even have to slow but cleared quickly from the city centre. Now, as at Burngreave, all traffic has to queue at the lights, building up long queues

The council will probably say the turn posed dangers, I have seen drivers 'swapping' lanes but this could have easily been resolved by adequate signing.

How can this council still insist it is not 'anti motorist' when such hair brained schemes are implemented?

I can take you throughout the city and show where traffic is stopped unnecessarily or channelled into one lane from three in a blatant attempt to get people on to the unreliable bus services.

God help us when the Inner 'Relief Road' is finished.

Talk about going round in ever decreasing circles until one!

BA Morton