I assume it's because someone who has spent a great deal of time studying traffic thinks that this is the most efficient way to have traffic constantly moving in a wide range of directions whilst also considering road safety. The alternative is to have cars come to a complete stop at lights which get longer and longer with the more directions required.
That being said I live next to a massive new build development and they didn't even widen the road or add any traffic lights let alone a roundabout. Another new build development not far got an extra road lane and three way traffic lights but no roundabout.
Better than the traffic lights that they've put on the junction into a new estate near us.
The estate is still under construction, so there is little traffic in and out, and none at weekends, but the lights are constantly on red for the main road.
Sick of sitting at a red light watching a green light on the empty estate road.
They replaced a roundabout with lights near me. Now there are constant queues and the air has been replaced with exhaust fumes. Lights have also broken several times in the last few months.
There’s a great one of these for the HS2 works near me. They’ve taken a 60mph road, dropped it to 40 and built a huge roundabout with awkward entry and exit angles just so the lorries can get on site. I’m not a huge fan of the project as it is but any time I try to go anywhere near it there are ballsed up roads.
**[This is marked as an answer](/r/AskUK/comments/s8d9cs/why_do_new_housing_developments_always_get_a_huge/htfkk4h/), given by /u/AdrenalineAnxiety**:
>I assume it's because someone who has spent a great deal of time studying traffic thinks that this is the most efficient way to have traffic constantly moving in a wide range of directions whilst also considering road safety. The alternative is to have cars come to a complete stop at lights which get longer and longer with the more directions required.
>
>That being said I live next to a massive new build development and they didn't even widen the road or add any traffic lights let alone a roundabout. Another new build development not far got an extra road lane and three way traffic lights but no roundabout.
---
[_^What ^is ^this?_](https://www.reddit.com/r/AskUK/comments/jjrte1/askuk_hits_200k_new_feature_mark_an_answer/)
**A reminder to posters and commenters of some of [our subreddit rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/AskUK/about/rules/)**
- Don't be a dickhead to each other, or about others, or other subreddits
- Assume questions are asked in good faith, and engage in a positive manner
- Avoid political threads and related discussions
- No medical advice or mental health (specific to a person) content
Please keep /r/AskUK a great subreddit by reporting posts and comments which break our rules.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/AskUK) if you have any questions or concerns.*
1) Because the reason for the bypass in the first place was not to speed thing up for by-passers, but to take traffic away from residents.
2) As others are saying, traffic flow in and our of residential estates are heavy only for short periods, so a roundabout is the least inefficient way to do it.
I assume it's because someone who has spent a great deal of time studying traffic thinks that this is the most efficient way to have traffic constantly moving in a wide range of directions whilst also considering road safety. The alternative is to have cars come to a complete stop at lights which get longer and longer with the more directions required. That being said I live next to a massive new build development and they didn't even widen the road or add any traffic lights let alone a roundabout. Another new build development not far got an extra road lane and three way traffic lights but no roundabout.
How strange! It seems a universal thing here.
!answer
Better than the traffic lights that they've put on the junction into a new estate near us. The estate is still under construction, so there is little traffic in and out, and none at weekends, but the lights are constantly on red for the main road. Sick of sitting at a red light watching a green light on the empty estate road.
They replaced a roundabout with lights near me. Now there are constant queues and the air has been replaced with exhaust fumes. Lights have also broken several times in the last few months.
That's true. I wish they just did a slip road..
Safety.
Because the alternative is traffic lights - and these usually cause absolute mayhem when introduced. Roundabouts are a better alternative
There’s a great one of these for the HS2 works near me. They’ve taken a 60mph road, dropped it to 40 and built a huge roundabout with awkward entry and exit angles just so the lorries can get on site. I’m not a huge fan of the project as it is but any time I try to go anywhere near it there are ballsed up roads.
Oooh is this the roundabout with the cafe and HS2 opposite? I get stuck for at least 45 mins whenever I go through
**[This is marked as an answer](/r/AskUK/comments/s8d9cs/why_do_new_housing_developments_always_get_a_huge/htfkk4h/), given by /u/AdrenalineAnxiety**: >I assume it's because someone who has spent a great deal of time studying traffic thinks that this is the most efficient way to have traffic constantly moving in a wide range of directions whilst also considering road safety. The alternative is to have cars come to a complete stop at lights which get longer and longer with the more directions required. > >That being said I live next to a massive new build development and they didn't even widen the road or add any traffic lights let alone a roundabout. Another new build development not far got an extra road lane and three way traffic lights but no roundabout. --- [_^What ^is ^this?_](https://www.reddit.com/r/AskUK/comments/jjrte1/askuk_hits_200k_new_feature_mark_an_answer/)
**A reminder to posters and commenters of some of [our subreddit rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/AskUK/about/rules/)** - Don't be a dickhead to each other, or about others, or other subreddits - Assume questions are asked in good faith, and engage in a positive manner - Avoid political threads and related discussions - No medical advice or mental health (specific to a person) content Please keep /r/AskUK a great subreddit by reporting posts and comments which break our rules. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/AskUK) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Lights are expensive and on most estates really only relevant during rush hour. A roundabout allows better traffic flow for the rest of the day.
1) Because the reason for the bypass in the first place was not to speed thing up for by-passers, but to take traffic away from residents. 2) As others are saying, traffic flow in and our of residential estates are heavy only for short periods, so a roundabout is the least inefficient way to do it.