A49 problems

[Matt]

For traffic heading north up the A49

Current situation: between 8am and 9am weekday mornings, traffic heading north up A49 queues back because of the filter lane layout at the Dones Green traffic lights. Currently, the right hand lane is "Straight on and Right". The Left hand lane is filter left only. Traffic uses the cut-throughs of Smithy, Willow Green, Leigh, Ash House and Heath Lanes.

Hypothesis: Most traffic heading north on the A49 wants to continue to the M56, not turn right to Barnton or left to Dutton. Traffic wanting to continue on the A49 is prevented from doing so by traffic waiting to turn right towards Barnton but being stopped from turning right by the oncoming traffic heading south on the A49. All traffic turning towards Dutton can do so without having to wait to cross oncoming traffic.

Solution: if the left hand lane was Left and Straight on, all traffic wanting to turn left to Dutton could do so without restriction, allowing all other traffic to continue up the A49. Any traffic wanting to turn right to Barnton would still be held up by traffic coming south, but at least it wouldn't hold traffic up heading north. Splitting the North/South phasing into 2 would be difficult because of the volume both ways and existing A533 east/west lower priority queues.

Result: if the northbound traffic wasn't held up, the total queue northbound would be reduced. Therefore, impatient drivers wanting to continue north would not be tempted to turn right at the Holly Bush onto Smithy Lane, go straight over the A533 and rejoin the A49 via AshHouse and Heath Lanes. In addition, since there would not be as much of a queue northbound, maybe more traffic would continue to the lights instead of turning right at the Leigh Arms, having been frustrated at queuing from Weaverham/Sandy Lane junction.

Still outstanding: traffic wanting to turn right to Barnton may still use Smithy Lane, or Willow Green & Leigh Lane, especially if they felt turning right at the lights would take time. Helping traffic turn right could be addressed with a right filter arrow from A49-north to A553-Barnton.

Still outstanding 2: the westbound A533 traffic from Barnton still queues because of priority given to A49 traffic. But maybe if northbound queue was reduced more time could be given to A533

Why this thread? Please post below all observations relating to the above so that there is a body of evidence to try and convince Cheshire County Council Highways that there is a simple solution which may address several problem areas.

[Matt]

Mon 16th June, 8:30am. Between Church Road and Leigh Arms, passed 6 cars and 1 taxi heading from Leigh Arms towards Little Leigh village.

Wed 18th June, 8:30am. Traffic heading north on A49 queued back to main bridge over Weaverham bypass.

[Matt]

Wed 25th June 8:30am, n/bound queue back to Acton Bridge turn/Riverside.

[Matt]

Thursday 3rd July 8:20am - queue past Sandy Lane turn/start of Weaverham bypass.

[admin]

Mon 14th Jul OK.
Tue 15th Jul, 8:30 back to Riverside cruises