“HORRENDOUS” traffic queues at Sixways roundabout in Worcester have left fuming residents calling for action.
Members of Worcester City Council say they have received numerous complaints from residents about the persistent traffic queues leading up to the roundabout at Junction 6 of the M5 – particularly from Berkeley Way.
And as a result, Coun Sarah Murray and Coun John Rudge have brought the community’s concerns to the attention of Worcestershire County Council.
The councillors highlighted how the traffic buildup is not only causing significant delays but is also creating safety risks and impacting the quality of life for those living in nearby areas.
As part of their efforts to tackle the problem, the city councillors have called on Highways England to review the traffic light sequencing at Sixways Roundabout.
Residents have expressed particular concern that vehicles entering the roundabout from Berkeley Way are often left at a standstill for extended periods, with little opportunity to move forward.
Local business owner, Stuart Wild, said: “During the evening peak period, the queue of traffic on Berkeley Way waiting to enter the junction 6 roundabout is horrendous, even stretching past and blocking the roundabout near the Premier Inn. And when you get to the front of the queue it’s obvious why. Only one car at a time can get onto the roundabout because of the phasing of the lights to the right at the top of the northbound slip road from the M5.”
Craig Cliff, a resident from Warndon Villages who lives close to Junction 6, continued ”I have to use it on a daily basis, It can take me twenty minutes or more some days to do less than a few hundred feet. The improvement works on this roundabout should have helped ease this problem, but it’s made it worse. We have no traffic lights from the Warndon exit onto the roundabout. and the sequencing of lights for those that have are completely out of phase. It’s frustrating.”
Coun Murray added: “The congestion around Junction 6 has become a daily headache for local commuters and residents. The traffic backing up along Berkeley Way is not only inconvenient but has started to affect local businesses and create safety concerns for pedestrians and cyclists. We’ve asked Highways to take a close look at the traffic light sequence, as drivers entering from Berkeley Way simply aren’t getting a fair chance to move forward, which only worsens the delays. We’re urging the county council to take swift action to investigate and implement solutions.”
A spokesperson for Worcestershire County Council said:“We will support National Highways with any future review that they undertake on the traffic signals on the roundabout.”
