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MOTORISTS approaching Nantwich Town Centre
from the Welsh Row and Wrenbury (etc) directions have been having to put
in some extra mileage with the closure of the River Weaver bridge for
the gas pipeline work.
There are signs out warning of
the closure - sort of (see below). But I am not sure that strangers to the area
would think that was the case. For one thing, the signs warn "Delays
possible" - suggesting there is a way through eventually (Perhaps
it should
be read as: "4 weeks delays possible"!)
Also, it refers to Welsh Row as the affected road. That is correct,
but how many people in an unfamiliar area would know the name of the
roads they are travelling on? Even fairly local visitors.
As for First Wood Street and
A530 . . . a good map (and a good map reader) are needed to know exactly
which roads are referred to. There must have been a better way to word
the signs to be very clear - and stop motorists making an unnecessary
trip in the wrong direction.
Having turned to drive along
Welsh Row, motorists are getting
almost up to the bridge before meeting a clear (red) "Road Closed" sign and having to
turn round in roads off Welsh Row, or make a loop round the "three Wood
Streets" - First, Second and Cross - in order to go back along Welsh Row
to turn right into the Waterlode inner ring road.
The large, yellow
warning signs are rather wordy - a lot to take in as you are approaching
the Welsh Row junctions in Queen's Drive and Marsh Lane. And anyone in a
queue of vehicles might not be able to read them for the vehicles in
front.
There is a third yellow sign in
Welsh Row before the Marsh Lane junction, presumably intended to pick up
people who didn't turn on to the Waterlode at the aqueduct junction (not
its official name).
For motorists approaching
Nantwich
from the Chester direction there are clear - and brief - signs diverting
them on to the inner ring road, so they should not be among the drivers
heading for the closure point.
Drivers who reach the blockage
and turn round, face a trip of half a mile
or so back to the ring road, plus the length of the road itself, only to find themselves at the other side of the
river bridge - yards from
where they had been some minutes earlier.
You might argue that motorists
from the Wrenbury direction should know which road is referred
to on the yellow signs, but when I go to Wrenbury, for instance, I am not aware of road names - just where
I am going to.
I don't suppose it is easy to be
concise and precise, and produce a sign for all types of motorists
(local and strangers), but a version of the red "Road Closed Ahead -
Access Only" sign could have been used. Something like "Road Closed to
Right . . . etc" or "No Through Road to Right". If they are not made,
they should be! |
town
centre. The single fingerpost arm says, in two lines: "Tourist
Information Centre" and "St Mary's Church".