Residents and motorists are up in arms over the opening of Britain's third Dutch-style roundabout - which gives priority to cyclists and pedestrians. Work started in June on the Westgate Roundabout near Chichester Cathedral, and it is now open to traffic. West Sussex Council Council say the new roundabout design 'will improve travel for people on foot, bikes, and mobility aids.
The carriageway around the roundabout is set to be narrowed to allow room for a two metre-wide cycle path around the edge, with raised parallel crossings on each arm. In plans published on the council's website, they say the new layout 'gives priority to people walking and cycling, whilst allowing drivers and cyclists to have a clear view of each other to ensure safer journeys for all.
The existing controlled crossings on the Orchard Street and Avenue de Chartres arms will be removed and the existing layby adjacent to the Chichester Inn will be realigned.
The scheme will also incorporate a 20mph speed limit. However, the plans have been met with anger by motoring groups, who confuse the new design of being confusing and dangerous. The new Dutch-style roundabout in Chichester - pictured last week under construction. A still taken from an animated 'roundabout flythrough' showcasing how the finished intersection will look. An annotated aerial shot of Britain's first Dutch-style roundabout, which opened in Cambridge in , explaining how the circular intersections work.
If you start mucking about the rules, no-one will know what to do. Just leave things alone. It's just nonsensical to me to change a system that is working perfectly alright as it is. The new roundabout has also attracted furious comments from local residents, many of whom have taken to Facebook to decry the new design - with the 'disrespectful' street lights raised as a particular concern for those living in the historic Roman city.
