MOTORISTS are being driven to distraction by a pair of roundabouts built side-by-side.

In the past a simple T-junction marked the point in Middleton, Rochdale, where Clough Road and Boarshaw Road meet - with nothing more than a give way sign to regulate the traffic.

But now motorists making their way through this quiet residential area have to negotiate two separate roundabouts just 10 yards apart.

The new road layout allows traffic to move to and from Clough Road, Boarshaw Road and Boarshaw Clough.

Council officials said the changes were necessary to cope with the anticipated increase in traffic that will result from a new housing development on Boarshaw Clough, which is being built.

They said they favoured the installation of traffic lights but the Planning Inspectorate gave the go-ahead to the roundabouts at the request of the developers, Lancashire-based Paddle Homes.

Confusion

Bemused residents say the new layout causes confusion and the roads are so narrow lorry drivers have struggled to get round.

Zena Stock, who lives near the junction, said: "I can't see the point of building the roundabouts considering it is such a narrow road. It was fine the way it was and building them has just made it more confusing.

"The roundabouts are right next to each other and it just looks funny. Large wagons struggle to get round them. It's just silly and pointless."

Motorist Ethan Worrall, 25, from Middleton, agreed.

He said: "No one can see the point of having them there, so close together. Buses sometimes struggle and taxi drivers are always talking about them."

Denise Hill, landlady of the nearby Cotton Tree pub, said the roundabouts have already become quite a talking point.

She said: "Taxi drivers are saying that there is going to be an accident, although nothing has happened as yet. A lot of people are talking about them."

Glyn Henry, of Rochdale council, said: "Traffic management is necessary to handle the extra vehicles expected once the Boarshaw Clough housing development is completed. These two roundabouts were installed by the developer to control traffic in place of the previous T junction.

"Rochdale borough council requested that traffic lights were installed to deal with the traffic generated by the development. The developer appealed to the Planning Inspectorate and the council's requirement was overruled in favour of the developer's mini roundabout scheme."

Andrew Howard, head of road safety at the AA, said a succession of multiple roundabouts is not that rare and that the layout even appears in a Highway Code illustration.

He admits such road layouts can cause confusion, but he says this can actually slow traffic, as motorists ponder the impending junction.

"This is not terribly unusual," he said. "One of the great plusses of mini-roundabouts is that it creates uncertainty and makes people slow down. There are occasions where uncertainty can make people drive more safely."

Paddle Homes Ltd were unavailable for comment.
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