I was joined this morning by Alfie Swan, proprietor of Billericay’s BDC Driving School, to discuss the A127/A176 interchange in the Noak Hill Road and Upper Mayne area, near the Hollywood-style “Basildon” sign. Since the layout was redesigned earlier this year this has attracted an enomous amount of opposition from local people who claim that the slip roads off the A127 are dangerous, including Alfie, who told us why. I also read a selection of listeners’ e-mails, all of which supported Alfie’s view concerning the interchange; in fact, I haven’t received a single message from anyone who thinks that the layout of the roads is safe.

[audio:https://www.phoenixfm.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Feelgood-Saturday-01-10-11-Alfie-Swan-BDC-Driving-School.mp3|titles=Feelgood Saturday 01 10 11 Alfie Swan BDC Driving School]I had invited Essex County Council, the Highway Authority responsible for the intersection, to appear on the programme, but they declined the invitation. They did, however, issue a statement: 

“The design and construction of the left slip conforms to the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges the basis on which all highway schemes are designed and constructed.  Also as standard practice with all newly constructed schemes, an independent Road Safety Audit was carried out on the completed layout. Based on feedback received from members of the public, the County Council carried out a second audit, this time with Essex Police present, where again all parties were content that the scheme conformed to the national Design Criteria for a new layout of this nature.  A recommendation from the police suggested to this an additional give-way sign be installed to raise awareness of the change in layout, this has been done. The junction will continue to be monitored whilst drivers adapt to the changes.”

Following receipt of the statement I asked the Council for clarification of some points, including the extent and nature of the ongoing monitoring, how many representations they’ve received about this and what they understand to be the reason for the concerns raised by the public. Given the extent of feeling about this, I also asked the Council for the details of an official who would be able to advise people on the correct way to use the interchange. In response to these and other questions the Council sent me what they described as “additional points for clarification”:

•” The design and construction of the left slip conforms to the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges the basis on which all highway schemes are designed and constructed.

• As standard practice with all newly constructed schemes, an independent Road Safety Audit was carried out on the completed layout.

• Subsequent to feedback received from members of the public, the County Council carried out a second audit, this time with Essex Police present, where again all parties were content that the scheme conformed to the national Design Criteria for a new layout of this nature. However it was suggested by the Police representative that a pair of additional give-way signs be installed to raise awareness of the change in layout. These were provided.

• The angle between the approach traffic and the give way lines is greater than the minimum entry angle of 20 degrees stated in the national design criteria. This ensures that all road users (including HGV and left hand drive vehicles) obtain the optimum view of the preceding carriageway/junction by use of wing mirrors.

• The junction will continue to be monitored whilst drivers adapt to the changes.”

You can judge for yourself whether you feel these additional points add very much to the initial statement.

I also chatted this morning with Tracey Alexandrou, a personal trainer and fitness instructor who’s organising the Lactic Fallout next month at the Secret Nuclear Bunker near Kelvedon Hatch, following the success earlier this year of the Lactic Rush. Tracey made the Fallout – which is an 8 mile obstacle race – sound like a lot of fun; so much so that Phoenix FM’s Helen Bealey is thinking about taking part! If you’d like to join Helen and Rush winner Rocket Ronnie O’Sullivan you don’t need to be as fit as Tracey, who’s running a marathon later this month across the Seven Sisters of the South Downs![audio:https://www.phoenixfm.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Feelgood-Saturday-01-10-11-Tracey-Alexandrou-Lactic-Fallout.mp3|titles=Feelgood Saturday 01 10 11 Tracey Alexandrou Lactic Fallout]