AT LEAST four drivers crashed into oncoming traffic on the first week Winnersh Relief Road was fully opened, by making illegal right turns.
Now, cameras will be installed on the new road layout to catch drivers ignoring the new road markings.
After two crashes on Thursday, May 13, Police Community Support Officers were stationed at the King Street Lane junction on Friday, directing drivers across the lights.
Yet that morning, there was another crash, bringing the total to four confirmed in one week, although additional prangs were reported on social media by residents and there have been numerous reports of near misses.
The council’s executive member for highways said that motorists should follow the rules – anyone breaking them is putting the lives of others in jeopardy.
The new Winnersh Relief Road opened last Monday, and residents warned that it would lead to accidents – motorists driving along King Street Lane can no longer turn right to get on to Hatch Farm Way.
Instead, they could turn left and drive up Longdon Road and turn around at the new roundabout and drive back down Longdon Road to go straight over.
It also stops drivers turning right from the newly-opened Longdon Road on to King Street Lane.
On Thursday, Winnersh councillor Prue Bray was at the scene of the third crash, where an Audi – which was travelling from Sindlesham towards Sainsbury’s – was damaged on the bumper, and airbags triggered.
She said the Ford, which made the illegal right turn on to Hatch Farm Way, fared much worse.
“It’s pretty bad,” she said at the time. “They’ve taken out a traffic signal pole.
“It must be local people who have got used to turning right. You couldn’t miss the signs. People are just taking a chance.”
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Cllr Pauline Jorgensen told Wokingham.Today it was too early to speculate on the causes of the crashes, as Thames Valley Police is conducting an investigation. But she did promise to take action.
“Whenever we have a major change to road layout, particularly at junctions, there is always a settling in period when people adjust to the changes.
“We saw it for example at the Station Link Road near Wokingham Train Station which introduced a new junction and amended others.”
She added: “I strongly urge all motorists using the new junction to follow the rules and do not try to make illegal right turns. If you make an illegal right turn there, you are putting your own life and the lives of others in jeopardy by turning into oncoming traffic.”
Wokingham Borough Council designed the junction in accordance with government highway design standards, the councillor said.
“It has gone through an independent safety audit review process and we are confident that the design in combination with the current signage is appropriate,” she added.
“We are installing a camera to monitor the junction and look at the use of illegal right turns. We will also work with Thames Valley Police to stop motorists from making illegal right turns at the junction.”
Winnersh councillor, Paul Fishwick has been monitoring the junction over the last few days.
He told Wokingham.Today there has been a “definite improvement” since last week, with drivers following the new changes.
But he is concerned there are problems brewing at the top of Longdon Road, where it meets Reading Road with a new roundabout.
He said there are a number of confused drivers, attempting to turn right into Woodward Close, travelling Westbound on the Reading Road as they come from Wokingham.
“Some drivers have been a bit confused,” he said. “It’s difficult to know what to do, when all you can see is cones.”
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While there are diversion signs in place explaining the changes at the Woodward Close junction, Cllr Fishwick thinks this could be clearer.
It now requires drivers to take a U-turn around the new roundabout, and turn into the close from the left.
The new relief road aims to reduce congestion to traffic in Winnersh by directing M4-bound traffic onto routes avoiding the village’s centre.
The changes to King Street Lane were part of this.
“The introduction of banned turns at this junction is necessary for the Winnersh Relief Road to operate as designed and to relieve congestion on Reading Road,” Cllr Jorgensen said.
“Since opening on Monday, May 10, the completed Winnersh Relief Road reduces existing congestion through Winnersh village and on the wider road network.
“It has also been designed to provide additional capacity to accommodate future growth. It improves existing routes and creates new connections for pedestrians and cyclists that live and work in the area between King Street Lane and Reading Road.
“Traffic heading towards Reading has an additional route around Winnersh to the Showcase roundabout, avoiding the section of Reading Road through Winnersh altogether.”
