UK's new confusing £18m Dutch-style roundabout opens in major city

An £18 cardinal roundabout that has confusing give-way rules has yet opened to the public, much than a twelvemonth aft works were owed to finish

An £18 cardinal roundabout has yet opened successful a large UK metropolis aft being deed with a lengthy delay. Work connected the caller roadworthy design, located successful Sheffield, began successful April 2023 and was expected to beryllium completed by October the aforesaid year, but it wasn't finished until December 2024.

Sitting astatine the junction of West Bar and Tenter Street, the Dutch-style roundabout works a small otherwise compared to the bulk of Britain's existing postulation circles, by giving precedence to cyclists and pedestrians. It features a dedicated rhythm lane and further pedestrian crossings and is portion of the city's wider ngo to nexus its centre with the neighbourhoods including Kelham Island and Neepsend.

According to the BBC, Councillor Ben Miskell, president of the transport, regeneration and clime argumentation committee, said: "For excessively long, radical wanting to transverse West Bar roundabout to get astir the metropolis person had to hold for a spread successful the postulation to bash truthful successful a harmless manner. The changes we are delivering volition marque it easier for those connected ft oregon connected their bike."

Taking to X (formerly Twitter) Harry Gray, a subordinate of the Walk Ride GM Steering Group, which campaigns for much cycle-friendly routes successful the UK, went to sojourn it. The pedestrian-first conception has been astir successful the Netherlands since the 1980s. "Pedestrians and cyclists person precedence connected each limb of the junction," helium explained. "Compliance is good, but immoderate drivers are struggling to accommodate to the caller layout.

Electronic signs informing drivers astir the give-way rules were installed astatine each way to assistance destruct immoderate confusion. Still, locals flocked to societal media to explicit their concern. "Without uncertainty the astir ridiculous unsafe thought ever," 1 idiosyncratic fumed connected Facebook. "What a discarded of taxpayers' wealth and fake security claims volition spell done the roof." Another agreed, scathing: "Ah yes a roundabout wherever the conveyance is the lowest priority, determination volition beryllium perfectly nary accidents present astatine all."

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However, Sheffield-based insubstantial The Star reported that galore locals person already gotten utilized to the roundabout. "I've driven implicit it a fewer times now," explained Kerry Gregory. "It's rather casual to recognize and use. I don't cognize what everyone is getting successful specified a flap about."

Ed Clancy OBE, Yorkshire's Active Travel Commissioner, hailed the roundabout for giving radical 'more state and prime astir getting around'. "New walking, wheeling and cycling projects are happening close crossed South Yorkshire creating amended places and much opportunities for america each to determination much and determination differently," helium added.

Have you utilized the caller Dutch-style roundabout? Let america cognize what you thought of it successful the comments conception below