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Driven round the bend

4/ 9/2008

MOTORISTS are being driven to distraction by a pair of roundabouts built side-by-side.

In the past a simple T-junction marked the point in Boarshaw where Clough Road and Boarshaw Road meet – with nothing more than a Give Way sign to regulate the traffic.

But now motorists making their way through this quiet residential area have to negotiate two separate roundabouts just 10 yards apart.

The new road layout allows traffic to move to and from Clough Road, Boarshaw Road and Boarshaw Clough.

Bemused residents say the new layout causes confusion and the roads are so narrow lorry drivers have struggled to get round.

Zena Stock, who lives near the junction, said: "I can’t see the point of building the roundabouts considering it is such a narrow road. It was fine the way it was and building them has just made it more confusing.

"The roundabouts are right next to each other and it just looks funny. Large wagons struggle to get round them. It's just silly and pointless."

Denise Hill, landlady of the nearby Cotton Tree pub, said the roundabouts have already become quite a talking point.

She said: "Taxi drivers are saying that there is going to be an accident, although nothing has happened as yet. A lot of people are talking about them."

Council officials said the changes were necessary to cope with the anticipated increase in traffic that will result from a new housing development on Boarshaw Clough, which is being built.

They said they favoured traffic lights but the Planning Inspectorate gave the go-ahead to the roundabouts at the request of the developers, Lancashire-based Paddle Homes.

Glyn Henry, of Rochdale council, said: "Traffic management is necessary to handle the extra vehicles expected once the Boarshaw Clough housing development is completed. These two roundabouts were installed by the developer to control traffic in place of the previous T junction.

"Rochdale borough council requested that traffic lights were installed to deal with the traffic generated by the development. The developer appealed to the Planning Inspectorate and the council's requirement was overruled in favour of the developer's mini roundabout scheme."

Paddle Homes were unavailable for comment.