'Minefield' box junction to be removed

nlnews@archant.co.uk
31 January 2007

A BOX junction that turned a stretch of road into a "minefield" for drivers will be scrapped.

There are two box junctions in Drayton Park, Holloway, and a third nearby where Drayton Park enters Holloway Road.

Now Islington Council has announced it will remove the box junction by Benwell Road, Drayton Park, because drivers were finding the markings "difficult to negotiate".

The box junction by Horsell Road in Drayton Park sparked controversy in October when the council installed a camera to catch people flouting the rules.

Labourer Damien Kellejher, 26, of Birnam Road, Finsbury Park - one of the first to receive a ticket - said: "It's ridiculous to negotiate with the traffic lights. They don't serve a purpose."

Tim Shalcross, head of technical policy and advice at IAM Motoring trust, which champions the cause of responsible motoring and road safety, said: "People who look at the impact of the measures they put in place and make changes to either ease the burden on the motorist or free up traffic, we welcome that.

"If the council has accepted that maybe this was a difficult set of regulations, perhaps they should look at how valid those tickets are."

Richard Hill, Islington's director of customer focus, said: "Box junction offences at Drayton Park have fallen by over 90 per cent since October 2006. This means traffic has been moving freely."

But an expert has raised a question mark over the Drayton Park/Horsell Road box junction.

Richard Bentley, a traffic signs and traffic management consultant, said: "It's my conclusion that the authorities have acted beyond their powers.

They have marked the roads in a way that does not reflect the content of the regulations. By government definitions, such signs are unlawful. They may lay themselves open to a claim for damages."

Mr Hill said: "We may make small changes in the marking detail of some junctions but we'll refer these issues to the Department for Transport."

"Where box junctions are not improving safety or traffic flows, we'll take them out.