Graham, Tom and Ian

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Kingsway study delayed after MP fails to act

by Lib Dem team on 28 October, 2015

A new CCTV camera wil help monitor traffic queues - something the Lib Dems have pressed for

A new CCTV camera wil help monitor traffic queues – something the Lib Dems have pressed for

Councillor Keith Holloway has criticised Cheadle’s Conservative MP for allowing Highways England to delay an important study into improving the Kingsway junction.

Earlier this year, our former MP Mark Hunter fought hard to get action on the Kingsway junction. He held public meetings and secured a commitment from Highways England to conduct a study over the summer.

Local councillors have only recently discovered that, following the General Election, Highways England called a halt to our study.

“Mark Hunter would have fought tooth-and-nail to keep this study, but our new Conservative MP Mary Robinson doesn’t seem to have bothered at all.” Keith said. “The Lib Dems are now working to get it back.”

“The study, looking at traffic across the wider area, is the best chance we have to improve the junction.”

There has been one success at the junction though – a new CCTV camera requested by the Lib Dem team back in Spring has now been installed. This allows TfGM (who manage and control the junction) to monitor queues remotely and adjust the traffic light timings to get as many vehicles through as possible.

 

   22 Comments

22 Responses

  1. John Hartley says:

    Iain

    You have a typo in the blog. I know she’s been under the radar but the MP is Mary not Mark.

  2. Ian says:

    Will the introduction of the CCTV camera be used to prosecute those drivers who habitually cross Kingsway from Cheadle and U turn to avoid queuing to turn right towards the motorway. At one time these culprits used to turn into the first road off Kingsway before shooting across and turning left at the Synagogue these days they often dont bother but turn more or less after the lights into the oncoming traffic from Gatley. You see this occurrence regularly and it is very dangerous ..Where are the police ,can you respond.

    • David Thornton says:

      The problem with that junction is the shear volume of traffic at certain times of the day. It is highly debateable whether it would be worthwhile spending money, which is in short supply, tinkering with the layout to little effect. The only meaningful way to increase flow volume would be to extensively widen the junction to encompass more traffic lanes and this would involve compulsory purchasing of housing – very expensive. A long term solution would be a North/South Kingsway underpass, but the cost, horrendous.
      The only sensible solution is to spend money elsewhere, then maybe drivers using the junction will resort to public transport as an alternative means of commuting/shopping.

  3. Iain Roberts says:

    Ian – u-turns are an issue. The camera can’t be used for that, and there’s no easy solution at the moment, but it’s something we need to keep pressing on.

    David – you may be right, and that’s why the study Mark Hunter secured is so important. It isn’t to just look at the junction but to look at traffic flow around the area. Can we create better ways to get people onto the motorway, or improve public transport to get people out of their cars, for example.

  4. Robert Cohen says:

    Actually, in certain circumstances it is not dangerous. I do it occasionally when conditions permit. The trouble is that those of us that travel to appointments during the day to earn a living to enable us to pay income tax, council tax and business rates, which pay our MPs, councillors and council employee wages, are continually ignored. Stuff the so called highways experts that tell us that the traffic on Kingsway can’t be held up for a few more seconds north-south. The junction should be improved to help local business and residents. It can take me longer to get from my office to the M60 that to get to a survey in, say, Prestwich once on the M60! Rant over!

    • Ian says:

      Robert if you are doing U turns at a major junction you want the book throwing at you.If you get off your self importance trip and realise that what you are doing can cause accidents I will sympathise with you as the Junction at Kingsway is a nightmare for all of us and not just for Local Surveyors.

  5. Jackmart says:

    Robert, that’s a good point. The junction should serve the local residents a little more in getting everyone off the local roads onto the motorway. Hold up the Kingsway traffic for 10 more seconds!
    Perhaps if the Councils attitude is get people out of their cars and onto public transport (as if!) perhaps they should make it more intolerable for those coming down Kingsway. If they can’t resolve it, make it a route to avoid.

  6. Chris Hornby says:

    I know you posted your comments with very little hope of anything being done Robert. I agree locals are at the of the line (pun not intended) when consideration is given to keeping the A34 traffic moving.
    Turning right into Kingsway from Cheadle is rapidly becoming a dangerous challenge. Even with the line on the road the ability to judge oncoming traffic is difficult. More so when selfish people jump the lights!
    Ah, well I suppose it will not trouble me too much when I am in my mobility scooter.

  7. roy says:

    Traffic approaching Kingsway from Gatley benefit from a filter lane which on average allows 12 vehicles to leave Gatley and turn left before the lights change to green for the Cheadle side then to compound the problem drivers from Gatley despite this advantage regularly jump the lights on Red this has led to at lest one accident.
    It is time to shorten the time lapse on the Gatley side, thus allowing traffic from Cheadle to turn right . At the moment Gatley receives priority over Cheadle.
    A camera is also required on the Gatley side to catch/stop the Red light jumpers as it only a matter of time before they kill someone. Our problems might also lesson if road works in the borough did not drag on for so long, if barriers / signage were removed when no workers were in sight.

  8. Robert Cohen says:

    Ian. I don’t u turn at the lights I go through and if it’s safe I will make the manoeuvre, or go down Torkington Road. It’s a shame you’re not so concerned about holier than thou cyclists who seem to have less regard for fellow road and pavement users and make some the most dangerous manoeuvres at this junction. What ‘we’ need is some consideration for the users. A camera is effectively a way of saying to the taxpayers: hey, we can screw you a bit more.

  9. Halifax says:

    And it’s going to get even worse.

    Barnes Hospital housing, which our local cllrs approve of, will add to the debacle as the residents from his new estate will add to the congestion if they want to get to and from the M60 (or Handforth Dean) – the only realistic way to/from the M60 would at present be via the Gatley junction then through either Cheadle or Sharston (rinse and repeat when they want to return home from the M60)

    And when the new development at Woodfood, which our local Cllr are in favour of, is complete, I guess a few will be coming down the A34.

    And how many other new house building schemes will they approve even though the road network is full

  10. jennifer says:

    I agree with many of the comments made above. However one problem which doesn’t seem to have been addressed is that of cyclists ‘jumping’ the lights. In fact many cyclists all over the borough seem to think that the red light is NOT for them, only for motorists.

    • Halifax says:

      I suspect that this is because it is not much of a problem – how many incidents have been caused by cyclists jumping red lights?

      And when you compare it to motorists who speed (and dip there brakes as they approach a speed camera), tailgate, jump red lights, use the phone – an average on my 30 minute cycle commute home I see at four drivers on their phone. And I’ll guarantee you see a driver on the phone at the Gatley junction during each light cycle when it is busy

  11. Bruce says:

    Surely it is logical to postpone any revue until after the new bypass is built. Who know what impact the new road will have.

  12. Bruce says:

    Meant to say ‘who knows’.

  13. STEWART BALE says:

    I really don’t think it is prudent to keep attacking our MP .

    • Bruce says:

      Stewart – ever since Mark Hunter lost his seat the Dimbles have done their utmost to undermine Mary Robinson at every opportunity. They are paranoid against the Tories and will do anything to attempt to score points – ‘they’ are Iain Roberts, Keith Holloway and Sue Derbyshire. You wouldn’t think have they have a common goal – namely the residents of Cheadle and Gatley.

      And as for the above topic – where is the logic in a revue when the there is a new road being built which could, or probably will, impact the traffic in our area.

      Dimbles – grow up!

  14. Iain Roberts says:

    Stewart, Robert – we make no apologies for holding our MP to account for what she does. That’s what good oppositions do and its an important party of any healthy democracy.

    Can I ask in what way you think this is a bad thing for a political party to do?

    • Bruce says:

      Iain – it is more than just holding our MP to account. Do you actually read what you write? Some of it is just plain nasty. And you still haven’t answered my question – what is the point of holding a review now before the new bypass is built? How much would it cost? Who will pay?

    • Halifax says:

      Iain, what about holding out local Councillors to account?

      How many of your constituents agree with you and other LibDems Cllrs supporting housing developments that bring more and more traffic to this junction?

      • Iain Roberts says:

        The whole point of this study is to find ways to reduce traffic at the junction even with the extra housing which we need, and which the Government is making it clear we are going to have whether we like it or not.

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