The ADS is on the RH side of the road because that is the natural sight line, the road bends to the left. If it was on the left it would be out of sight until it is too late. The road markings are quite specific A6135, A1(S) & A61, A61 & M1(N). There used to be a video on YouTube on 'How to navigate the Birdwell roundabout', but I think it has been taken down.
No, but EVERY time there will be a car from either lane fighting for the inside lane. Worse than that is people in the right hand lane cutting across to go M1 North!!
I like Birdwell roundabout. My favourite bit is when I get pipped at for getting it right by the bloke who got it wrong.
Roundabouts shift traffic efficiently. That's why they were invented. That's why, even though its soulless, the road system in Milton Keynes works like a dream. I can't think there's many instances in the last 100 years where 4 way traffic lights work better than a roundabout. But then I don't work in road planning so it seems obvious to me.
That’s why I don’t understand why they put traffic lights on a roundabout it defeats the whole object
This is spot on, I've lost count of the number of times other drivers have cut me up at junction 37 because they don't understand how to use that roundabout and just switch lanes without any prior warning. It's really not difficult!
The magic roundabout near the university in Colchester is equally good fun. I learnt to drive on that thing. My instructor made me sit in a car park overlooking it so we could spend 5 minutes taking in how it works before he would let me near it.
Oh it is ! Coming from Birdwell to go to Hoyland you are in the left of 3 lanes, you then have to move straight across to the third of 5 then drive in opposite direction it’s a balls up ! That said I agree it pales into insignificance compared to Cundy Cross whoever designed that should have a Christmas tree inserted and pulled out
There is one in Hemel Hemsptead that is almost identical - Id rather do either of them than Stairfoot when its busy The Birdwell one is confusing but once you know how it works its not so bad - problem is not everyone knows how it works especially the first time they encounter it I havent dared try the new improved Cundy Cross - it always used to work OK when a roundabout but I have avoided it since the improvements
Yes, it's not so much the roundabout, it's trying to do it with your head twisted to watch the car in your inside lane blind spot. It's a lot easier with a co-pilot.
If you look at it from the air it's designed by a Satanist in the shape of the Sigil of Hastur - and at 8:30 am and 5:30 pm the whole motorway junction throbs with the low-grade animosity and frustration the drivers using it generate. That or somebody decided to recreate their 3 year olds scrawl from school as a road network
Am sure I remember they used to sometimes stop traffic on the roundabout entrance/exit to take a herd of cows from the motorway side of Birdwell to the field near Rockingham cricket ground.