My first thoughts when I heard of Saturday’s incident on the Square roundabout was this: those with views on pedestrianisation had been vindicated. Then I thought twice.A well-known local in a suped-up car is reported to have collided with a pensioner. The elderly woman wasn’t badly hurt. It’s reported that afterwards apparently the man spent over 30 minutes in a police car.
St Peter’s Square roundabout really is a curious affair. I bet there’s nothing like it elsewhere in Wales or indeed Britain. In the past, I’ve wondered how best traffic can be pacified so that pedestrians can enjoy what is the very jewel atop the Jewel in the Vale.
Yet, the fact that the roundabout *is* odd is possibly its strength. Junctions are set back. Parked cars have always been allowed on the roundabout, presumably because of the acres of road space around it. Because many of the junctions are set back; because it’s sometimes difficult to see round the parked cars when approaching from Market Street, Clwyd Street and Castle Street; and because there's apparent conflict from Well and Market Streets, most drivers approach the roundabout with a high degree of caution.
And although it may well remain an utter pain for pedestrians trying to get round top o’ town, there are mercifully few crashes, collisions or cars hitting pedestrians. The roundabout and its peculiar arrangement seems to slow traffic down.
Tags:
Traffic