Russell George

cameras never switched on

Bellow is a letter I sent yesterday to the man and department responsible for approving the removal of the roundabout and for the layout and design of the new traffic system.

We just keep being let down, an early start date for the Newtown Bypass is vital to people’s sanity and the local economy.

After last Saturday’s gridlock situation in Newtown around lunchtime, I asked questions. What I found out was beyond belief!

Earlier this year a new traffic management system went into operation in Newtown following the removal of the Kerry road roundabout. Like most local people, I had little confidence in this new system when it was being promoted. We were told that this system would link back to a remote centre to monitor and control traffic flow in the town. Despite these cameras being installed, they have never actually been activated and indeed Newtown Traffic has not been monitored remotely at all!

This traffic light and camera system together cost £100,000, I will be interested in what the Minister for transport has to say. If the cameras are not working why not, this is the busiest time of the year for traffic in Mid Wales. If we are being told it’s not going to help or make a difference, why was the system put in place at a huge cost in the first place.

Below the letter in full –  But if you want the shortened version its this:

Mr Ieuan Wyn Jones – Can you please make your announcement on the Newtown Bypass, start work ASAP, and in the meantime make changes to improve traffic flow:

County Councillor R.I. George
Fuze Ltd
Broad Street
Newtown
Powys
SY16 2LS

Mr Ieuan Wyn Jones AM
Deputy First Minister and Minister for Economy and Transport
National Assembly for Wales
Cardiff Bay
Cardiff
CF99 1NA

18^th August 2010

Dear Deputy First Minister,

Newtown Traffic Chaos & the Announcement on the Newtown Bypass

I wrote to you on 26^th February setting out Newtown’s traffic problems. When I received your reply on the 30^th April, you informed me that you intended to make an announcement on the preferred option before the Summer. As I have received no further communication from you, and we are now nearing the end of the Summer period, I hope you can appreciate my disappointment that no announcement has been made.

As I hope you are aware, Newtown has experienced huge traffic problems for many years and the problems have become significantly worse over the past 12 months. I have been inundated with complaints from people expressing their deep concerns over the traffic chaos in Newtown.

The Kerry road (McDonalds) traffic lights continue to cause serious problems. It’s your Department that approved the removal of the roundabout and the layout and design of the new traffic system. Your department gave various assurances in February that the new traffic light system would be working to its optimum performance within 3 weeks of “going live”. Your department also confirmed that the new system would be monitored remotely by “Traffic Wales”. I understand that despite cameras being installed, they have never actually been activated and indeed Newtown Traffic has not been monitored remotely at all. Can you please confirm when Newtown traffic will be monitored; as your department had advised would be the case?

People in Mid Wales where advised that the new traffic light system and removal of the Kerry road roundabout would not create further congestion or cause significantly more delay. As this is clearly not the case, can you please detail what considerations have been giving to restoring the roundabout and what considerations have been given to purchasing adjoining land in order that a roundabout with duel lanes can be put in place?

In the meantime I would ask that you urgently review the design and layout of the trunk road though Newtown and most especially the new set of traffic lights. I should further be grateful if you could ask your department to support the following small changes to help improve traffic flow on the new layout immediately:-

• Move the central island on the southbound arm of the A483 closer to Cambrian Bridge, this will allow the right turning lane to be moved over slightly with the addition of the hatch markings to separate the 2 lanes.  This should improve visibility for the A483 North bound lane traffic wishing to turn right into Kerry Road.
• Altering the kerb-line from the crossroads to the lane next to the Indian restaurant would also improve traffic flow as it is noted that traffic is mounting the kerb to go round the inside of the waiting right turning vehicles.
• Introduction of a loop just after the stop line for South bound vehicles. The loop will mean that the traffic will determine if the right turn phase needs calling or not and if so for how long (I am sure this terminology will be familiar to staff within your Department). At present the right turn arrow is demanded automatically for a set period regardless of traffic flow so it is not as efficient as it could be. Once the loop is installed it will be interactive and the signals will proportion what it thinks is the optimum times for the right turn filter.
• The current settings seem to be disproportionately balanced towards the trunk road. Please revise the current settings as a number of residents have contacted me who have been in long queues towards Kerry and, at certain times of the day, people have to wait whilst the light changes 5 times before they can eventually travel over the trunk road towards Cambrian Bridge.
• Can you further confirm that the software that synchronizes the signals through Newtown is now operating at optimum performance?

The current chaos is causing significant damage to the local economy and the wider Mid Wales community. Businesses to the West of Newtown are suffering the most. Newtown is a central point in Wales, but even businesses as far away as Aberystwyth are being affected by this mess. Running a business in Mid Wales is tough enough already. I believe there is a serious safety issue with HGVs and other vehicles diverted and taking short cuts though residential areas. This in turn compromises the safety of local residents, and in particular school children. Examples of this can be seen on the estates of Treowen and Garth Owen and Canal Road.

When I wrote to you in February, I requested an urgent reply from you seeking your assurances and your commitment to resolving the traffic problems in Newtown. After several calls to your office, I eventually received a reply 8 weeks later. I understand there is a procedure that Ministers must respond to correspondence within a set period, and your reply to me clearly failed to comply. Your Department does not seem to be taking the traffic problems in Newtown seriously and does not seem to be in touch with what is happening. We need urgent action.

At the Newtown Traffic Study Exhibition last September, which revealed three possible routes for a By-Pass, your Department informed me that you would be revealing the preferred route in January. Given that the second date has now also passed, can you confirm when an announcement on the Newtown Bypass and the preferred route may be expected?

I have discussed the issue with Powys County Council’s executive management board, and I understand that the Chairman of the board has also written to you seeking assurances on the timing of the announcement on the Newtown Bypass.

As a local Councillor, I will be relaying your answer to many concerned people throughout Mid Wales. I would appreciate not just your decision on the preferred route but a detailed timetable for construction works though to completion of the project. An early start date is vital to the local economy.

Yours sincerely,

Russell George
Cynghorydd Sir / County Councillor – Newtown Central
Office: 01686 626500
Mobile: 07867782727