TEN years ago, Watford only ever experienced traffic gridlock on Saturdays in the few weeks leading up to Christmas.

Now it is virtually a daily occurrence.

The evening of Tuesday, July 2, was a classic example when every road leading into Watford, together with the ring road, came to a complete halt between 6pm - 7pm.

Some weeks ago, these columns contained several letters which pointed out, quite correctly, that the traffic light on the Colne bridge in Lower High Street was responsible for the daily rush-hour tail back of traffic along Eastbury Road as far as Deacons Hill.

What has happened since then? Nothing.

On one occasion, a police officer overrode the signal and performed manual traffic control at the location during a busy period with the result that the queue was reduced to no more than half a dozen cars.

At least someone has shown some initiative.

How often does it take in excess of 15 minutes to travel the short length of Cassio and Merton Roads, from Rickmansworth Road to Hornets?

It seems incredible that traffic using the main southern artery out of Watford (avoiding the ring road) has to give way to a constant "dribble" of vehicles using the Hornets.

Invariably, when the Hornets flow ceases temporarily, traffic emerging from Merton Road still cannot make progress because it is held up by pedestrian signals.

Having negotiated this junction, traffic is then held up because a single vehicle is attempting to turn right from Wiggenhall Road into Cardiff Road but is unable to because oncoming traffic will not give way.

The amount of traffic visiting the Cardiff Road is steadily increasing, hence a constant queue of frustrated drivers in Wiggenhall Road.

The same happens with vehicles turning right into Fishers Industrial Estate a little further on. The solution - ban right hand turns at the Cardiff Road and Fishers junctions and create a roundabout at the foot of Deacons Hill.

The current road layout at this point, where three roads converge, is extremely dangerous as anyone trying to turn from Wiggenhall Road into Riverside Road will know.

Traffic bound for the industrial estates can negotiate the roundabout and then perform a left-hand turn.

Our Highways Department seem to be very good at creating speed humps and mini-roundabouts all over the place (they seem to appear overnight like mushrooms in the lawn).

Occasionally a new set of traffic lights appear, although rarely synchronised with others nearby (as on the ring road adjacent to the Harlequin shopping centre, where you start off from one green light only to be stopped straight away by a light turning red 100 yards ahead). How about some proper traffic management from these experts. And not in ten years time, but now, before we all caught in terminal gridlock.

Name and address supplied

July 12, 2002 13:30