Mini-roundabout

04 March 2010

I HAVE read in the Congresbury Mauve paper that Yatton Parish Council and North Somerset Council (NSC) are thinking of installing a mini-roundabout at the junction of Claverham Road and the B3133 near Top Scaur Yatton.

Whilst I appreciate the current fashion for mini-roundabouts I question whether this will have any safety effect?

I do not believe there have been many accidents at this junction and a mini-roundabout would not be able to be negotiated properly by lorries and First Buses travelling in the Clevedon to Congresbury direction and so would be nonsensical.

Also I fear that it could cause more accidents as traffic could enter the roundabout from Claverham Road to turn towards Kenn/Clevedon and not be noticed by traffic approaching from Congresbury down the slope from Frost Hill.

Far better that traffic wishing to turn right towards Kenn from Claverham Road should wait until both directions are clear.

If NSC and Yatton wish to spend money in this area for safety reasons then may I suggest a traffic activated 30 MPH flashing sign (as on the A370 and Brinsea Road approaching Congresbury from the Churchill direction) on the down slope from Mendip Road junction at the bottom of Frost Hill as the traffic gains speed approaching the, more dangerous in my opinion, left bend at the end of Henley Lane/Lodge.

This I feel would help reduce speeding traffic through Yatton and on the approach to the Claverham Road junction (where there is a bus-stop just around the bend before the junction) more than a mini-roundabout.

D K PINNOCK

Horsecastle Farm Road, Yatton