The new Brighton Hill roundabout.

Too many traffic lights?

Returning home along Brighton way from Asda I had to stop at the red lights before the roundabout.

The lights changed and always aware of other drivers suddenly changing lanes I got into the lane I needed and approached the second set of lights.

Again watching out for others, I was watching the traffic and lights in front of me and saw nothing but a sea of green lights so I drove through the second set of lights and cursed at a lorry driver I thought had cut across me.

It turned out that the cars behind me hadn't followed because the lights at my junction were red. I'd driven unintentionally through a red light I genuinely did not see for what I think is the first time in forty years of driving.

Unpacking my shopping at home, my neighbour was out and I mentioned what I had just done.

They said they had done exactly the same thing at that roundabout and found all the lights to be at times very confusing.

This is a discussion I have had with others before now all agreeing there are far too many sets of lights on a roundabout that was built far too big not to mention the overabundance of signage at every junction.

It is a confusing mess.

I can still see absolutely no reason whatsoever why the roundabout had to be as big as it is.

As for the lights at the roundabout.

At night it is even worse as the lights seem overly bright at times and approaching the roundabout at night all you can see in every direction you look is a dazzling confusion of green and red lights.

I am thankful that I did not cause an accident due to my error.

Stan Higginbottom

Basingstoke

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