After many years of complaints work is finally starting on improvements to the Enham Arch roundabout. Works will be carried out by contractors appointed by Taylor Wimpey as part of the legal agreement agreed when permission was granted for the Augusta Park developments.
Work will be concentrated on the large Tesco roundabout throughout January and move onto Newbury Road, (south of the railway bridge) in February. The work to the roundabout will reduce the central island to form additional lanes and will be combined with traffic signals on all apporaches to the roundabout to control the traffic flow. This I am advised will solve the congestion problems in the area. We will have to wait and see.
The works to Newbury Road include widening and restricting traffic movements at the existing signals and are subject to a formal Traffic Order. Also planned are changes to the Enham Arch estate (Homebase) to make the car park one way with access off Newbury Road and exit via a new road link to the Wickes development on the roundabout.
Also planned are changes to access to Tesco’s which will see two way traffic into the site from River Way and lights controlling traffic at the Churchill Way entrance.
In summary – avoid the Enham Arch roundabout and surrounding area until the end of February when hopefully we will have a road system which can cope with the traffic in the area.
As Enham Arch is a big bottleneck in its own right, I cannot see how adding an extra lane into it can do anything to improve the congestion, in fact I’d say quite the opposite.
I’d also like to say, the potholes (ravines and craters would be a better description) at the entrance to King Arthurs Way are going to cause a fatality very soon. You have to go onto the opposite side of the road to avoid them (both sides of the speed hump are gulleys), anyone riding a motorcycle will stand no chance if they hit them.
Just when did Andover leave Hampshire? Re; the Highways Authority recent claims ALL potholes have been filled in Hampshire. Obviously their ‘inspectors’ do not know where Andover is for they cannot have been here!
On my fathers behalf there is also a pothole growing in diameter and depth (since the winter of 2009) in Corunna Maine, you may wish to inform the highways authority that is also in Hampshire.