Safer junctions and better traffic flows?

I had a good meeting on Friday with Councillor Pauline Jorgensen of Wokingham Borough Council and her officers dealing with roads and traffic. She has ideas to  to cut congestion, improve safety and get the traffic flowing more smoothly. These things do take some time to design, plan and put into the budget.

I talked to  her  about various ideas for junction improvements as much of the delay and danger occurs at road intersections and where people need to cross the traffic as pedestrians. She is keen to make a difference to her portfolio as Executive member for roads and transport.

I would be interested to hear from constituents their ideas for how local roads and junctions could be improved, both by short term fixes and by longer term more substantial improvements. I have passed on some specifics to the Council for consideration. The general ideas  that might help include

Short term/lower cost changes

Change light priorities to give more prominence to main roads with heavy flows

Change traffic light sets with single direction flows into sets allowing both direction flows for more of the time

Introduce good traffic sensors on all light sets, allowing reversion to main road as green for off peak, with red on the main road only when there is traffic on the side roads coming into the junction, and allowing flexed times for busy routes proportional to traffic.

Change road painting to allow segregated right turn lane where space permits

Indicate left turning on red by filter light where possible

Extend two lane queues where space permits rather than one lane

Ensure there is plenty of parking, avoiding parking on main roads in ways which impede flows. .

Encourage schools to make safe arrangements for car drop off and pick up of pupils off the main road

Short term dearer proposals

Replace light sets by roundabouts where possible

Create safe bike and pedestrian routes off the main highways

Have sufficient safe pedestrian crossings geared to light phases at light controlled  junctions.

Longer Term proposals

Extra road  bridge over east west railway line in Wokingham as on the current plans

Improved capacity on Earley peripheral and at Loddon roundabout

More by passes of villages as with Shinfield, Arborfield and Winnersh.

Completion of a good east -west vehicle route for local traffic

Extra capacity on A 329M/A3290