"it's illegal to control traffic manually at a roadworks site"

londonTiger

Absolute plebs decided to put a single file traffic light administered by time at a roadworks on a road that gets heavily congested during rush hour.

Eastbound traffic moves very slowly, literally 3 vehicles per red light are allowed to pass.

Westbound is perfectly fine and clear.

So there's a temporariy traffic light set up which is set by time. Every time the eastbound traffic is on green. All the cars beat the green and then end up blocking the single file road.

The Westbound traffic are now trapped and waiting ages.

All the while idiot roadworks people are standing around doing nothing to help adminster the situation.

I had a go at one and said why aren't you manually filtering the traffic and get the Eastbound traffic to stay on the other side and not block the passage and he tells me it's illegal to do that.

What a load of nonsense. I want to complain to the council because there seems to be a lot of roadworks in the area and the contractors put these stupid and idiotic temporasry traffic lights that don't work. At the very least they should have men with radios to filter the traffic. I've see that done before so it is not "illegal".

Steve059

I feel your pain, but, IIRC, only a uniformed police officer can legally control and direct traffic.

londonTiger

christ, the the workman was right. Can they not control when lights change manually then via remote control?

It's completely idiotic because you could actually see cars from one end of the traffic light to the other. A freaking BUS even blocked the road and they do this route day in day out and are in a higher position to see the road ahead.

Johno100

Does that mean Stop/GO boards are also outlawed?

atrixblue.-MFR-.

Steve059 wrote: »

I feel your pain, but, IIRC, only a uniformed police officer can legally control and direct traffic.

this is why we have whats called signs light and guarding training in certain jobs.

atrixblue.-MFR-.

londonTiger wrote: »

christ, the the workman was right. Can they not control when lights change manually then via remote control?

It's completely idiotic because you could actually see cars from one end of the traffic light to the other. A freaking BUS even blocked the road and they do this route day in day out and are in a higher position to see the road ahead.

the work man needs to consult highways or his supervisor to get permission to use stop go if he has the required level of training to do it.

the highways jobs tend to come with a pre planned safe systems of work schedule outlining what they can and cant do.

if the use of stop go was not permitted due to safety risk then it would be illegal for him to do it.

londonTiger

Ok i get that the workers are probably powerless, but isn't this a planning issue on the part of the company who dug up the hole in the ground? Surely they need to have a proper human controlled stop go system to help move the traffic in a tricky spot where timer traffic lights will not work.

A few weeks back we had the green light and then ambulance decided to put it's sirens on and jump the red from the opposite. The traffic wasn't too bad so the cars with green light reversed back. But I can see some implications caused by the gridlocks to the emergency services.

Can I write to anyone about it?

Rolandtheroadie

Had a wee issue the other day too. Convoy system being set up, I'm at the STOP sign so stop.
Convoy vehicle in front of stop sign, Sign Coordinating Manager leaves his sign at stop.
Convoy vehicle goes to far side of roadworks and returns with a convoy of vehicles behind it.
Then we got to go.
I thought about a strongly worded letter to my MP, but then I thought !!!! it. Build a bridge, get over it.

DUTR

Steve059 wrote: »

I feel your pain, but, IIRC, only a uniformed police officer can legally control and direct traffic.

Actually it's those with a SWQR (streetworks qualifications register) .

atrixblue.-MFR-.

londonTiger wrote: »

Ok i get that the workers are probably powerless, but isn't this a planning issue on the part of the company who dug up the hole in the ground? Surely they need to have a proper human controlled stop go system to help move the traffic in a tricky spot where timer traffic lights will not work.

A few weeks back we had the green light and then ambulance decided to put it's sirens on and jump the red from the opposite. The traffic wasn't too bad so the cars with green light reversed back. But I can see some implications caused by the gridlocks to the emergency services.

Can I write to anyone about it?

its an issue with the company who setup the lights not putting in the correct light timing.

no doubt after several hecklings from road users the supervisor doing the maintenance would have called them up and said come and redo these lights!.

you can call your local council highways, ask to speak with the highways enforcement officer, he has the power to shut down sites not in compliance wich include signs lights and guarding.

I had one do a random spot inspection on me and a colleague when I was in my last job because we use cones and signs when we had to check fire hydrants valves etc in middle of roads we were in compliance.

Stooby2

_London_Tiger wrote:

Absolute plebs decided to put a single file traffic light administered by time at a roadworks on a road that gets heavily congested during rush hour.

What a charming view you have of other people. The roadworks are quite likely to be emergency works, for example a burst water main. The workers may have been there all night doing their best to get it fixed. They don't usually set up the lights and have no control over it. So you were delayed on your journey. That's life, get over it and have a bit more respect for others.

Whilst anyone can direct traffic, no-one has to comply with their directions if they're just waving their arms. It's only when a police officer, (police) traffic warden, PCSO and to a limited extent, school crosiing patrols are doing the arm waving that you have to comply.

Stop/Go boards are also something you have to comply with, but are costly to use as you need an extra two people to work them, unless the automatic type are used, but then you're back to the same issue of timing.