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Archive => Archived Boards => Local Issues => Topic started by: barndoor on February 05, 2017, 06:50:33 PM
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I cannot be the only one who has witnessed drivers evidently confused by the traffic lights at the Hollins Lane/ Stockport Road junction.
When obeying the green light to turn left from Hollins Lane onto Stockport Road, some drivers stop (having travelled only a few feet) when they reach the single traffic light at M&Co - which will be illuminated red. I believe this light to be red to prevent traffic on the Stockport Road from proceeding in the direction of the cinema; but some drivers having just exited Hollins Lane believe it applies to them, and come to a halt at it. Yesterday I was waiting outside the NatWest bank and in just 10 minutes witnessed it twice. I've noticed, too, that the driver of the vehicle behind the 'stopper' often attempts to educate him or her with a friendly toot of a car horn and some helpful arm movements (although yesterday the stopper was wearing his seatbelt, so the urgent motion to put it on wasn't really required).
Has anyone else witnessed the scenes I describe? Or even been one of the 'stoppers' themselves? I would be interested to know ways of clarifying the traffic rules at this junction.
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I have noticed this on a few occasions. Also cases of cars coming up Stockport Road where they must have gone through on Amber ( which means STOP) and get as far as the lights outside M & Co which are then on red, so they stop, even there is no white line on the road to stop at !
One can only assume that they have not been correctly taught about traffic lights.
The worst thing about these lights is that when coming along Hollins Lane early on Sunday morning (8:15ish) and the lights are on red it take a l-o-n-g time to change even though there is no other traffic around.
Barndoor will just have to live with the fact that there are only a few of in Marple who know how these traffic lights work !
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I've seen this several times. Cars turn left on the green light from Hollins Lane, then see a red light which they assume is a pedestrian crossing, so they stop. I've seen cars wait for the whole cycle.
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I've seen this quite a few times too, it's a regular occurrence I believe.
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If we're having a dig at Marple traffic lights, I'd love to know what the reasoning is behind the setting for the timer on the right turn filter at the bottom of Dan Bank. At various times of day it is genuinely on for less than 5 seconds. At other times of day it seems to be longer, but that's barely enough to get two cars through if they're all actually obeying it. Often I see a few additional cars jump the light because they're so frustrated with being kept there.
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Slow news day in Marple!
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And don't get me started on the lights at the junction of the "new road" (extension of Hibbert Lane) and Stockport Road!!!!
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And don't get me started on the lights at the junction of the "new road" (extension of Hibbert Lane) and Stockport Road!!!!
What about the lights .
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And don't get me started on the lights at the junction of the "new road" (extension of Hibbert Lane) and Stockport Road!!!!
My wife also calls this the 'new road'. This always tickles me as I've been around Marple for over 35 years now and its always been there. Hardly new.
I do agree about the lights though. Coming from the New Mills direction along Stockport Road is an accident waiting to happen. I'm surprised it hasn't.
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in the late 1780s Samuel Oldknow built his 'new road' from Norbury Smithy (Jolly sailor) down to his mill. It cost him £3,000.
It was many years later that it was renamed 'Stockport Road'.
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My wife also calls this the 'new road'. This always tickles me as I've been around Marple for over 35 years now and its always been there. Hardly new.
I do agree about the lights though. Coming from the New Mills direction along Stockport Road is an accident waiting to happen. I'm surprised it hasn't.
To be a pedant, any junction that hasn't had an accident is "an accident waiting to happen". I'm curious about why you think this particular junction is risky?
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Slow news day in Marple!
Haha! Nothing new is it. It's a running joke in our household... I'll get home and say to my girlfriend "It's all kicking off on the Marple forum!" She'll say "Dog poo again?" I'll say "No, confusing traffic lights this time!"
I'm jesting but, in all seriousness, there must be a forum somewhere (a facebook group maybe?) where real things get discussed. This forum has about 10 regular posters if that... yet local events are always well attended, things go on and people know about them. Where do they get discussed?!
To be a pedant, any junction that hasn't had an accident is "an accident waiting to happen". I'm curious about why you think this particular junction is risky?
I'm guessing, but probably because some non-regular users of the road aren't aware on the approach that the right side is for straight-ahead and the left-side is left-turn only.
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My wife also calls this the 'new road'. This always tickles me as I've been around Marple for over 35 years now and its always been there. Hardly new.
Well, the first official documentary reference to Marple was in 1122 so I think Mrs Harry and I can get away with calling the road in question "the new road" ;).
I bet there are a lot of us who call it "the new road". My Dad did but he'd lived in Marple since 1927 so I suppose it was new to him. I remember it being made but can't remember quite when.
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What about the lights .
Try it and see
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To be a pedant, any junction that hasn't had an accident is "an accident waiting to happen". I'm curious about why you think this particular junction is risky?
The timing of the lights at the junction of Stockport road and the ones at the Hollins lane aren't organised properly so at busy times you can turn right out of the new road on your green light only to find the Hollins Lane lights have changed to red and when your lights change you are are stuck in the middle of the junction with traffic coming at you down Stockport road. At busy times it causes an interesting jam. And it's dangerous
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The timing of the lights at the junction of Stockport road and the ones at the Hollins lane aren't organised properly so at busy times you can turn right out of the new road on your green light only to find the Hollins Lane lights have changed to red and when your lights change you are are stuck in the middle of the junction with traffic coming at you down Stockport road. At busy times it causes an interesting jam. And it's dangerous
Highway Code Rule 176
You MUST NOT move forward over the white line when the red light is showing. Only go forward when the traffic lights are green if there is room for you to clear the junction safely or you are taking up a position to turn right.
My emphasis in bold from https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-highway-code/using-the-road-159-to-203 (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-highway-code/using-the-road-159-to-203)
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Yes there is a problem with the Stockport Rd/ Hollins Junction. However most people seem to have worked it out and either stay behind the Hollins white line or if they have a small car manage to tuck in at the end of the Stockport road queue so as not to impede the traffic by doing a bit of a swans neck turn. I have sympathy with those who don't know the area but when people have got stuck mid road I've seen several I know to be local either just taking a chance or not paying attention. The change in timing needed must be fairly subtle as the problems only seem to happen once every two light changes.
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I'm curious about why you think this particular junction is risky?
As @older-and-wider said, its the left lane being for turn left only. The right lane user has to immediately pull to the left while crossing the junction. If the user of the left lane goes straight on there is nowhere for the right lane user to go. I've seen this happen a number of times.
The problem is caused by strangers not being aware that it's a left turn only lane. The only indication of this is the arrows painted on the road. In heavy traffic these can't be seen. It need more prominent signage.
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As @older-and-wider said, its the left lane being for turn left only. The right lane user has to immediately pull to the left while crossing the junction. If the user of the left lane goes straight on there is nowhere for the right lane user to go. I've seen this happen a number of times.
The problem is caused by strangers not being aware that it's a left turn only lane. The only indication of this is the arrows painted on the road. In heavy traffic these can't be seen. It need more prominent signage.
I've had drivers in the left lane going straight ahead while traffic is waiting to turn right in the other direction. As I'm going straight ahead, this leaves me nowhere to go. Obviously, I check if that's happening, but there ought to be a sign before the junction. As you say, you can't see the sign on the road if there are cars on it.
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Highway Code Rule 176
You MUST NOT move forward over the white line when the red light is showing. Only go forward when the traffic lights are green if there is room for you to clear the junction safely or you are taking up a position to turn right.
My emphasis in bold from https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-highway-code/using-the-road-159-to-203 (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-highway-code/using-the-road-159-to-203)
Tell the other users that
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Tell the other users that
If they're not obeying the rules then it needs a yellow hatched box, which essentially enforces what people should be doing already.