'Hamburger' on the menu

5:00pm Sunday 1st July 2012 in Local By Simon Moss

Black Dam Roundabout Black Dam Roundabout

IT CAN be a nightmare for commuters making their way to and from Basingstoke at peak times – but now plans are in motion to drastically alter one of the town’s busiest roundabouts.

Bosses at Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council are looking to secure Government funding to help pay for a £7million overhaul of the Black Dam Roundabout, which connects the A339 with the A30 and junction six of the M3 motorway.

It is hoped that by reducing traffic congestion, it will make the town – and in particular Basing View business park – a more attractive place to work.

Councillor Andrew Finney, Cabinet member for economic development, said: “It is a reasonably priced and achievable scheme.”

It is being suggested that a “Ham-burger Roundabout” be created, with a priority lane running through the centre of the roundabout for traffic wishing to travel to or from the motorway.

Drivers wishing to get on to the A30 in either direction would continue around the roundabout as usual. Transport chiefs hope this radical change will reduce congestion as the majority of traffic will have an easier run through the middle of the roundabout. Cllr Finney described it as a “ground level flyover”.

The council, through the Enterprise M3 local enterprise partnership, will bid for “pinch point” funding while also contributing cash of its own to deliver the improvements.

Cllr Finney added: “We have got a high degree of confidence that we can deliver the scheme within the time-scales. It will improve the traffic flows through the Black Dam Roundabout.

“The traffic that is coming up and around the ring road will have priority and therefore it will be easier for people to get off the M3 and on to the ring road towards areas like Basing View.”

Successful schemes will be notified in September 2012, and if approved, it is hoped the new-look roundabout could be in place by March 2015.

The borough council’s Cabinet this week agreed to release £500,000 from its community infrastructure reserve to help pay for the improvements, subject to Government funding being granted.

Comments(10)

Theyouthmatters says...
6:43pm Sun 1 Jul 12

This would damage the economy of the town... as this is the access from London.

also they Tesco want to do this to BH roundabout I flipping don't. that round about is the 9th worst in the country as it is.

Report this post »

Beats108 says...
9:01pm Sun 1 Jul 12

Do you drive Theyyouthmatters???

This would ease a lot of problems at the roundabout as this is a nightmare to get in and out Basi at rush hour, but, also if drivers get in the right lane and stop short cutting this would help as well.

Report this post »

davescorpio0 says...
7:21am Mon 2 Jul 12

They have just completed a roundabout similar to proposed on Black Dam and Brigton Hill on Wimbourne Bypass, It seems to work well and has really reduced congestion.

Report this post »

jondave says...
11:38am Mon 2 Jul 12

I welcome anything to improve this roundabout, particularly outbound at rush hour, but will be interested to see how the lane off the northbound M3 for the A30 to Alton will be handled. Currently this is generally used as an "I am too important to obey road signage, never mind queue" lane by people who burn down it and shove into the A339 lane further round (with abuse and fingers if you dare be in their way). Prime candidates are DPD couriers, who always use this lane and are then in the right hand lane at the roundabout having cut up two lanes of traffic. Problem is that there is simply no need to dedicate that lane for the A30, but someone in their "wisdom" did and simply created congestion and a problem where one cannot surely have existed.

Report this post »

BeggarwoodResident says...
1:23pm Mon 2 Jul 12

I live on the outskirts of Basingstoke (near Junction 7) and commute to Oxford every day which takes around an hour. I've often thought about finding work closer to home but there's no real driver given it would probably take up to an hour to get anywhere in the local area - might as well stay put.

However with initiatives and investment like this I may well consider my options again and think about looking closer to home.

Report this post »

cybersheeep says...
5:17pm Mon 2 Jul 12

As someone who endures this roundabout every day on the way to work, I certainly welcome this. Though what I don't welcome is the use of ridiculous terminology, who on earth came up with the term hamburger roundabout?!... there must be a better name for it! But having said that I do wonder if the council are considering ordering their burger with cheese (hatchings) and bacon (cycle paths) too. As for size, it's going to have to be at least a quarter pounder to cope with the level of traffic. I'm still failing to visualise the whole thing looking anything like a hamburger though... surely if they're planning to make a straight through section then this is far more akin to a jumbo hot-dog inserted under the existing 12" pizza.

Report this post »

Mrs G of bstoke says...
12:40pm Tue 3 Jul 12

cybersheeep wrote:
As someone who endures this roundabout every day on the way to work, I certainly welcome this. Though what I don't welcome is the use of ridiculous terminology, who on earth came up with the term hamburger roundabout?!... there must be a better name for it! But having said that I do wonder if the council are considering ordering their burger with cheese (hatchings) and bacon (cycle paths) too. As for size, it's going to have to be at least a quarter pounder to cope with the level of traffic. I'm still failing to visualise the whole thing looking anything like a hamburger though... surely if they're planning to make a straight through section then this is far more akin to a jumbo hot-dog inserted under the existing 12" pizza.
LOL

Report this post »

Outside Looking In says...
10:16pm Tue 3 Jul 12

The one in Headington just outside Oxford works really well:

http://blogs.24dash.
com/news/communities
/2008-07-01-Award-fo
r-Oxfords-queue-bust
ing-hamburger-rounda
bout

Report this post »

Admac212 says...
1:57pm Wed 4 Jul 12

Roundabouts work well with moderate traffic but when traffic volumes are too high they fail. As soon as you need traffic light they have kind of failed already. Why don't they just replace the thing with with a traffic light crossroad junction? I understand why they might suggest a Hamburger (throughabout) roundabout Brigton Hill due to the amount of roads that enter the the roundabout - but do we need one here?

This is not a flyover so lets not dress it up as one, the original plan for this junction was to have a trumpet interchange similar to the town centre east junction, with the A30 rerouted joining the Ring Road at the Rucstall flyover junction at Black Dam. This is unlikely to happen now but would have been good. You can see the original plan for the ring road here: http://photos.wikima
pia.org/p/00/01/33/0
2/43_big.jpg

Report this post »

Theyouthmatters says...
4:49pm Fri 6 Jul 12

Mrs G of bstoke wrote:
cybersheeep wrote:
As someone who endures this roundabout every day on the way to work, I certainly welcome this. Though what I don't welcome is the use of ridiculous terminology, who on earth came up with the term hamburger roundabout?!... there must be a better name for it! But having said that I do wonder if the council are considering ordering their burger with cheese (hatchings) and bacon (cycle paths) too. As for size, it's going to have to be at least a quarter pounder to cope with the level of traffic. I'm still failing to visualise the whole thing looking anything like a hamburger though... surely if they're planning to make a straight through section then this is far more akin to a jumbo hot-dog inserted under the existing 12" pizza.
LOL
Are you on illegal drugs?

Report this post »

click2find

About cookies

We want you to enjoy your visit to our website. That's why we use cookies to enhance your experience. By staying on our website you agree to our use of cookies. Find out more about the cookies we use.

I agree