Drivers beware: priority changes Albert/Highmoor Road junction

Reading Borough Council implemented changes to the cross roads of Albert and Highmoor Road yesterday afternoon, Wednesday 10 April. Now drivers along Albert Road should give way, having always previously had the right of way across the junction.

View north up Albert Road this morning

On my way to work this morning I was horrified to see that no warning notices had been put up alerting Albert Road drivers of the changes. 

I parked up and watched, powerless, as the first of 3 near collisions happened.

I rang the police and then an RBC Highways officer (who I know always gets in early) with my safety concerns. Another 2 near collisions happened whilst I was talking. The RBC officer promised to take action so after about 15 minutes there I continued on my journey to work.

I was called back at 8.41 am by another officer who reassured me that RBC people were attending and that notification signs warning drivers of the priority changes would be installed later this morning.

To recap, these junction changes were brought in to improve safety following a series of collisions, one of which led to the tragic death of a pedestrian. Ironically, to my knowledge there haven't been any collisions in the last few months.

UPDATE: "New road layout ahead" signs put up

The changes implemented yesterday, however, were not what the local community, supported by my Conservative colleague Cllr Ed Hopper and me, had called for, but a compromise. Originally, apart from asking for the faded white road markings to be freshly painted, we had asked for the Highmoor Road stop line to be moved forward a foot, improving the sight lines. We also asked for the markings in the centre of the junction to be removed. 

I will be monitoring the junction carefully as so many of Mapledurham Ward residents and others in Caversham Heights go through it on a daily basis, including my family and me.

[To see previous posts I've done on this junction, select "Transport" under Labels on the right hand side and scroll down through to find them all]

UPDATE: Red signs have been put up saying "New road layout ahead" following my request first thing today. Do let me know if you think this is adequate or if more should be done.