Residents of Banwell, a village in North Somerset, have expressed growing frustration over temporary traffic lights on the A371 (Knightcott Road) that are causing significant delays. Locals report that the lights frequently remain red for long stretches, particularly during rainy weather, disrupting traffic flow at both ends of the road.
Chantelle Fox, a local resident, recounted an incident earlier this week where motorists were stuck at red lights for over an hour. She criticized the company responsible for maintaining the lights, Intelligent Traffic Systems (ITS), after they attributed the issues to weather conditions—a justification she found unconvincing given the frequent rain in the area. Steve Voller, chair of Banwell’s parish council, suggested that some drivers running red lights might be interfering with the traffic sensors, further complicating timing issues. Residents have reported wait times ranging from 15 minutes to over an hour.
To assist frustrated drivers, signposts displaying the ITS contact number have been installed near the queues with instructions to report any traffic light malfunctions. Despite local complaints, ITS maintains that the traffic lights are operating as intended. A spokesperson for ITS emphasized that the lights have undergone extensive testing and that no faults have been detected since their deployment. They also highlighted that alerts would be sent if any malfunctions occurred and denied that wait times had ever reached an hour.
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The temporary lights are part of a larger project to construct a £105 million bypass around Banwell, aimed at alleviating chronic congestion caused by two major A-roads funneling traffic through narrow village streets—some so narrow they only accommodate a single car. This bottleneck has been an issue since the 18th century. Although the bypass was proposed almost a century ago in 1927, construction only began recently after North Somerset Council approved plans in 2023. The new bypass is expected to open next year.
Ms. Fox, who moved to Banwell two years ago, acknowledges the inconvenience caused by ongoing works but feels the current delays have exceeded reasonable expectations. “We expected some disruption because of the bypass, but this level of delay is unacceptable,” she said. Parish council chair Steve Voller hopes the current difficulties will be “short-term pain for long-term gain.”
Galliford Try, the firm contracted to build the bypass, stated that they have addressed previous issues with the temporary traffic lights by installing new equipment to improve traffic flow. The company stressed that the traffic lights are crucial for ensuring worker safety during construction and that the bypass will ultimately ease congestion and improve local travel options, including a shared-use path connecting Weston-super-Mare with the Strawberry Line.
ITS confirmed that due to multiple roadworks and closures in the area, increased traffic volumes are causing delays but apologized for the inconvenience. The company recently adjusted the traffic light timings and reported no further complaints following these changes.