At Grade Roundabout for A40 Witney Bypass

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Bryn666
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Re: At Grade Roundabout for A40 Witney Bypass

Post by Bryn666 »

Additionally, the "affordable" homes argument is a nonsense too; developers wanting to build off suburban bypasses are building executive type homes, they aren't interested in first time buyers.

Case in point again in Blackburn, proposals for over 1,500 executive type homes on greenfield sites are fast and furious, proposals to redevelop the demolished streets that used to be Victorian terraces, allegedly unfit for habitation? Nil.

There are swathes of empty brownfield sites that could be developed and facilitate active travel, thus reducing the burden on the network from cars and commuting and therefore improving air quality, but no one wants to do it, because that requires a bit of thought doesn't it?

It's mismanagement at all levels.
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roadtester
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Re: At Grade Roundabout for A40 Witney Bypass

Post by roadtester »

I just don't see how a developer should be allowed to make a road worse without paying compensation - by which I don't mean their contribution to putting in an at-grade roundabout.

There must be some methodology for doing that - e.g. charging them the present value of any loss to the economy of removing the freeflow.
Last edited by roadtester on Sun May 21, 2017 14:06, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: At Grade Roundabout for A40 Witney Bypass

Post by chaseracer »

Both documents appear to be "unavailable"...
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Berk
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Re: At Grade Roundabout for A40 Witney Bypass

Post by Berk »

Bryn666 wrote:Additionally, the "affordable" homes argument is a nonsense too; developers wanting to build off suburban bypasses are building executive type homes, they aren't interested in first time buyers.

Case in point again in Blackburn, proposals for over 1,500 executive type homes on greenfield sites are fast and furious, proposals to redevelop the demolished streets that used to be Victorian terraces, allegedly unfit for habitation? Nil.

There are swathes of empty brownfield sites that could be developed and facilitate active travel, thus reducing the burden on the network from cars and commuting and therefore improving air quality, but no one wants to do it, because that requires a bit of thought doesn't it?

It's mismanagement at all levels.
It's about time schemes like this were mandated in legislation. Because time has shown people only make these choices when they're made to do it. It's sad, but it shouldn't have come to that.
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Re: At Grade Roundabout for A40 Witney Bypass

Post by Berk »

roadtester wrote:I just don't see how a developer should be allowed to make a road worse without paying compensation - by which I don't mean their contribution to putting in an at-grade roundabout.

There must be some methodology for doing that - e.g. charging them the present value of any loss to the economy of removing the freeflow.
Totally agreed. It should be an 8-figure sum, up-front.
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Re: At Grade Roundabout for A40 Witney Bypass

Post by SteveA30 »

There it is.....
(2) Its not just Local Authority Roads that are affected - Highways England have been given a remit to facilitate development on the grounds its good for the economy. Again developers know the dice is loaded in their favour and as such signalised roundabouts, etc are becoming the order of the day rather than investing in proper grade separation
I knew HE wouldn't voluntarily mess up their roads, like Exeter J29 and A27 IKEA. They've been busy doing the exact opposite elsewhere. It had to be external pressure, with the dice loaded in the developers favour. The IKEA cowboy developers didn't reply to my objection but, no reason not to harass other firms, with well reasoned points, to at least show that they have been sussed out and can't expect to slip planning apps through under the radar. Would the AA/RAC have any influence in this?
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Re: At Grade Roundabout for A40 Witney Bypass

Post by roadphotos »

I drove along the A40 at Witney today. The roundabout is now taking shape. As many have said there is a road bridge right next to it. Surely it wouldn't have cost that much more to have had a road linking to the bridge from the south side of the dual carriageway, they've had to build one on the north side anyway and the most expensive part of any grade separated scheme is the bridge itself which is already there. I simply cannot understand how this has been allowed to happen.
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Re: At Grade Roundabout for A40 Witney Bypass

Post by SteveA30 »

The answer is just above your post. Also at A41 Bicester, A516 Mickleover, A38 Droitwich and many other locations.
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Re: At Grade Roundabout for A40 Witney Bypass

Post by M5Lenzar »

roadphotos wrote: Thu May 17, 2018 14:58 I drove along the A40 at Witney today. The roundabout is now taking shape. As many have said there is a road bridge right next to it. Surely it wouldn't have cost that much more to have had a road linking to the bridge from the south side of the dual carriageway, they've had to build one on the north side anyway and the most expensive part of any grade separated scheme is the bridge itself which is already there. I simply cannot understand how this has been allowed to happen.
I bet the locals did nothing aside from moan constantly on Facebook and in local rags.

Apathy is as much to blame as incompetence, IMHO.
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Re: At Grade Roundabout for A40 Witney Bypass

Post by Patrick Harper »

This scheme seems more like an exercise in shortening a freeflow stretch of D2 that won't ever be extended to the A34 or M5, rather than splitting it up. I mean, there's no GSJ west of the new roundabout, so if anything the forced suppression of speed at the new roundabout should help to disperse congestion at the pinch points at the termini of the D2.
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Re: At Grade Roundabout for A40 Witney Bypass

Post by NICK 647063 »

These sort of roundabouts are ridiculous we built decent D2’s with bridges crossing them, then now local councils let roundabouts be built! This is why I actually like Highways England’s approach for example on the A64 at the west end of the Malton bypass a roundabout was proposed by the local council to give all access when we already have an underpass it just needs 2 east facing slips adding to become all access, thank god for HE saying a clear no to a roundabout, they actually want the roads they manage to try and remain free flow...... sadly when local councils get their hands on them after detrunking you notice many roundabouts and traffic signals added for example the A19 Selby to York.
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Re: At Grade Roundabout for A40 Witney Bypass

Post by Johnathan404 »

M5Lenzar wrote: Fri May 18, 2018 08:12I bet the locals did nothing aside from moan constantly on Facebook and in local rags.

Apathy is as much to blame as incompetence, IMHO.
It seems a new roundabout doesn't register high on people's concerns. Strange.
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Re: At Grade Roundabout for A40 Witney Bypass

Post by SteveA30 »

Mostly because they don't know about them until they are under construction.
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Re: At Grade Roundabout for A40 Witney Bypass

Post by Patrick Harper »

Johnathan404 wrote: Sat May 19, 2018 08:51
M5Lenzar wrote: Fri May 18, 2018 08:12I bet the locals did nothing aside from moan constantly on Facebook and in local rags.

Apathy is as much to blame as incompetence, IMHO.
It seems a new roundabout doesn't register high on people's concerns. Strange.
The locals rarely have to use the bypass, so why would it concern them?
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Re: At Grade Roundabout for A40 Witney Bypass

Post by Berk »

Only if they don’t need to work, or shop out of town (unlikely, unless they’re retired).
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Re: At Grade Roundabout for A40 Witney Bypass

Post by Richard_Fairhurst »

Paianni wrote: Sat May 19, 2018 14:48 The locals rarely have to use the bypass, so why would it concern them?
Many locals do - it's the major route from Carterton to Witney (B4477, A40, then off at the Ducklington roundabout).

I think it's more that Witney traffic is so thoroughly b0rked that this roundabout doesn't really register in the grand scheme of things. There's a lot that could be done to solve it, but step one shouldn't be infrastructure, it should be removing the free parking policy that encourages Witney people to make short trips by car when they could be made on foot, by bike, or by the town 'shopper' bus.
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Re: At Grade Roundabout for A40 Witney Bypass

Post by Berk »

What exactly is a ‘short’ trip. Most people (myself included) would expect to use a car for anything above a mile (½-mile, in my case), particularly when their own home isn’t remotely close (within 100m) of a public transport route, with a frequent service.

I’ve lived through being dependent on public transport. Believe me, if you have to walk 3¾ miles to the shops, you start to get sick of the ‘free exercise’, and the sheer amount of time and effort taken to do basic tasks.

So don’t start suggesting that it’s unreasonable for people to want to use their cars, especially in a rural market town.
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Re: At Grade Roundabout for A40 Witney Bypass

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Richard_Fairhurst wrote: Sat May 19, 2018 16:08 it should be removing the free parking policy that encourages Witney people to make short trips by car when they could be made on foot, by bike, or by the town 'shopper' bus.
I'm pretty sure we're in a free country. We're both allowed to travel to the shops how we like, and tell people with disgusting views like this where to go.
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Re: At Grade Roundabout for A40 Witney Bypass

Post by Bryn666 »

Others might argue it is disgusting that towns are clogged up by people circling around for a parking space.

And despite being a free country, free parking has never been a fundamental human right. Like any other commodity someone has to pay for it, and one could argue why should my taxes subsidise parking in towns?
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Re: At Grade Roundabout for A40 Witney Bypass

Post by Stevie D »

M5Lenzar wrote: Sat May 19, 2018 18:17
Richard_Fairhurst wrote: Sat May 19, 2018 16:08 it should be removing the free parking policy that encourages Witney people to make short trips by car when they could be made on foot, by bike, or by the town 'shopper' bus.
I'm pretty sure we're in a free country. We're both allowed to travel to the shops how we like, and tell people with disgusting views like this where to go.
We are in a free country. If you want to drive for a short journey that you could easily make by other means, and in doing so contribute to pollution, congestion and parking problems, then you are free to do that ... but you have to recognise that there are consequences, and that as the cause of those problems you have to make a small financial contribution to offset them. If Mr Toad types hold the disgusting view that they should be allowed to drive whenever and wherever they want without any consideration of the consequences of doing so then they will increasingly find themselves turning puce with rage as a more enlightened society has thankfully moved on from that attitude.
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