Ashbourne nightmare roadworks.
Discussion
Had the misfortune to drive through Ashbourne this morning, as I neared Ashbourne on the A517 from Belper, traffic was backing up before i'd even got into the town. Queued up for ages, decided to nip through the council estate onto Park Avenue, as had dozens of others. Got stuck there for 43 minutes by the cars dash clock. Finally got to the T junction with Park Road and it had been closed in one direction near the Fire Station, so I had to turn left back up and onto Belper Road which I had left earlier. But no one had thought to re-phase or at least turn off the traffic lights at the junction of Park Road with Belper Road, result was gridlock, the lights were going through dozens of cycles without any vehicles getting through at all from Park Road, meanwhile those on Belper Road kept the junction blocked. People were standing by their cars as the lights changed time & time again, but nothing moved.
I finally got from Park Road, onto Belper Road and across the junction and onto Station Street, about half a mile if that, after an hour and 21 minutes. I was an hour late for my appointment. The worst bit though was not being able to just turn around, once in it, you had to stay in it.
As I drove through, I noticed that all routes were snarled up in all directions, just because one little bit of Park Road had been closed in one direction. If the Fire Brigade had needed to get out, it would not have been possible, as no one could turn around or make way. I reckon a 999 call would have been at least half an hour to have just come out of the Fire Station, turned left and covered the 80 metres up to the traffic lights. They wouldnt have been able to turn right, it would have been one long queue of stationary one way traffic against them.
I finally got from Park Road, onto Belper Road and across the junction and onto Station Street, about half a mile if that, after an hour and 21 minutes. I was an hour late for my appointment. The worst bit though was not being able to just turn around, once in it, you had to stay in it.
As I drove through, I noticed that all routes were snarled up in all directions, just because one little bit of Park Road had been closed in one direction. If the Fire Brigade had needed to get out, it would not have been possible, as no one could turn around or make way. I reckon a 999 call would have been at least half an hour to have just come out of the Fire Station, turned left and covered the 80 metres up to the traffic lights. They wouldnt have been able to turn right, it would have been one long queue of stationary one way traffic against them.
Edited by Balmoral Green on Tuesday 15th May 18:19
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