Traffic lights to return to infamous Wilson's Corner?

TRAFFIC lights could be about to return to an infamous junction in Brentwood – more than 26 years after they were replaced by a dual mini-roundabout.

The staggered crossroads of Wilson's Corner at the juncture of Ingrave Road, the High Street, Ongar Road and Shenfield Road has been the bane of motorists' morning commute or afternoon school run for years.

The current system was installed in June 1987 after traffic signals were removed to improve traffic flow.

But despite there being more cars on the roads today, a Brentwood Borough Council highways panel has recommended the lights return at an estimated cost of £250,000.

Its report says improvements in technology and changes to traffic flow means "any proposal to reintroduce traffic signals at the junction should not be judged based on the efficiency of the previous system."

Funding for the £300,000 scheme would come from the planning deal struck over the new William Hunter Way development.

In a meeting at the town hall this month the panel agreed to a £5,000 traffic study.

A study of the Personal Injury Collision (PIC) data from June 2007 to the end of May last year revealed 18 personal injury collisions and 21 casualties, including one serious injury.

The report also showed:

33% of the PIC's occurred on a wet or damp road surface

38% happened at night

33% involved pedestrians

22% involved two-wheeled vehicles

Using these figures the panel used Department for Transport guidance to estimate that including "damage-only" bumps there had been around 320 collisions in the area – more than one a week.

Councillor Keith Parker is chair of Brentwood's Local Highways Panel which operates with an annual £449,876 budget. He said it was time Wilson's Corner was reviewed.

"There's always been things in the grapevine for Wilson's Corner. The prospect of doing something has been there for some time," he said.

"The main problem is there are so many people who don't understand roundabouts in general whether they are double or not.

"If no one gets in the wrong lane then there's no problem but people do make mistakes.

Mr Parker stressed the feasibility study regarding the return of the lights is part of a larger plan to garner information to enable improvements to roads across the county.

"There's going to be a lot of changes and Essex County Council know they've got a job on their hands," he added.

"I can't see any options other than three as far as I'm concerned: the status quo, traffic lights or a single roundabout.

"The money's there on paper but unless William Hunter Way moves forward it won't be released."

Liberal Democrat borough and county councillor David Kendall, who sits on the panel, said: "I've still some concerns as to whether the return of the traffic lights is the right solution and I'm waiting for all the options to come in."

An Essex County Council spokesman confirmed the site has been identified for a casualty reduction scheme.

He said: "The panel has approved the request from the Essex Highways Road Safety Team to commission a feasibility study at the junction of (Wilson's Corner) to assess if traffic signals could be re-introduced to improve road safety at this key junction.

"This junction was previously controlled by traffic signals but these were removed around 25 years ago with the intention of improving traffic flow."