Council change lanes in Douglas Street for a second time

Aug 11 2011 by Shirley Bartynek, Hamilton Advertiser

Council change lanes in Douglas Street for a second time.

LANE layout on a busy Hamilton road has been changed for a second time - following complaints that it was causing confusion and dangerous driving.

The move came as work was completed on controversial new £3.5m traffic system at and around Peacock Cross.

Up until the start of work, Douglas Street was one-way but had three lanes.

Approaching the junction with Almada Street, the number of lanes in Douglas Street was reduced to two - with the left-hand lane blocked off altogether.

Now, however, following complaints to South Lanarkshire Council, road chiefs have re-opened the left lane - but blocked off the right-hand lane.

A council spokesman said they made the change following ‘ongoing monitoring and refinement.’

However, some drivers who regularly use the junction have been left bemused by the whole traffic change exercise.

One motorist explained: “If you are exiting from Douglas Park retail park into Clydesdale Street, with a view to going round by Douglas Street to turn right at the traffic lights, assuming you have been let in by the main traffic stream (by no means certain), you find that three lanes are reduced to two at the lights.

“This causes a lot of jockeying for position, often dangerous.”

Another added: “One minute you are not supposed to be driving along the left-hand lane and the next minute you are allowed again.

“I don’t know how this is supposed to help matters. It would be far better all round if the council just opened the three lanes again.”

Another angry Hamilton driver contacted the Advertiser this week and complained: “This is the most confusing and ill-considered set of changes to traffic management in Hamilton for as far as I can remember. And I can recall a few blunders in past decades.”

The council’s spokesman said: “Since the Peacock Cross project was completed in April this year, the scheme has been the subject of ongoing monitoring and refinement.

“The final planned phase of the original scheme was the introduction of a system to automatically adjust the traffic signal timings in response to changes in traffic flow and demand.

“The system, known as SCOOT, was introduced on Monday, July 11, and is continuing to be monitored, however, early indications are that it seems to be improving the network further.

“In addition to these planned works, and following comments from the public and an independent review of the scheme, further opportunities to adjust, refine and improve certain elements have been identified.

“Adjustments to road markings have recently been completed along Burnbank Road in front of Equi’s and on Douglas Street adjacent to the County Buildings to try to improve driver behaviour and lane discipline.

“We would ask for your continued patience as these adjustments and refinements take time to settle down. However we would not anticipate any major disruption.”