Thursday 5 December 2013

Wrong Way along King Street

 


The arrows show traffic directions earlier this year.

Looking along Greig Street, you can see the
Greig Street Bridge across the River Ness,

Greig Street is two-way but King Street that
crosses it is one-way.

A No Entry sign can be seen on the far side.

There is also a One Way arrow leaving the
junction but it is not in the photo.







The view looking in the opposite direction
from the other side of the junction.

The second No Entry sign can now be seen.
In the previous view it was obscured by the
angled frontage of the shop.

One of the One Way signs is also visible.

[These two photos are from Google Maps 2008]




There are primary schools in both direction along King Street and a secondary school in the distance.
Inverness Police have recently issued a general warning to drivers telling them to conform to the One Way system.

I believe the offenders are mainly drivers coming from the Greig Street Bridge direction
and turning left against the No Entry sign into King Street. But why is this?

On 16 September there were changes to the City's one-way system in connection with work
on the River Ness Flood Alleviation Scheme. In particular Greig Street became one-way from
the Greig Street Bridge to this junction with King Street.





A mobile information display has been parked at the junction.
Drivers approaching the junction from the two-way section of
Greig Street would appear to have no excuse for turning right
into King Street.













But here is the view from the other side,

There is no sign, apart from road markings, to tell a driver that
they are leaving the one-way section of Greig Street and entering
the two-way section.

Approaching the junction, the angle of the No Entry signs means
that only the furthest away sign is readable.
It is possible that some drivers do not notice the sign because of the distraction of the mobile display and associated traffic cones.







Nearer to the junction the first No Entry sign disappears behind the mobile display.
The second No Entry sign starts to be readable by is no longer in the driver's direct field of view.

Before blaming drivers or taking up Police time, it might be worth reviewing the traffic signs.

At the very least, a No Left Turn sign might be appropriate here.

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