Hospital traffic FAQs

Why haven't I had a response to my email?

We have received a large number of emails about this matter since early October and to respond to each one would take several days of officer time.

We’re sorry if you haven’t had a response but all comments have been taken on board and we are aware of the problem in detail.

What is the usual cause of delay?

If there is no incident on the network the usual cause of the delay is simply the volume of traffic which overwhelms the available road capacity resulting in queuing.

This part of Derby is very busy most evenings and it doesn’t take many extra vehicles to create delays. Once queues have developed they take a long time to disperse.

What is the Council doing about the problem?

As soon as we became aware of the extent of the problem we started to investigate what was happening on the highway and draw up options for changes to help drivers exiting the hospital car parks.

Our immediate response was to adjust the timings on traffic signals to give more time to Uttoxeter Road to try to keep the roundabout clear. We have started to speak with the Hospital Trust about further changes which require more investigation and funding if they are to go ahead.

This has been happening for several years. Why have you only just started doing something?

We have received only a handful of reports over the past 12 months (until October) and site observations following those reports didn’t reveal any particular delays. It was assumed therefore that the problems were intermittent and caused by incidents on the network.

Can we have a yellow box marking on the roundabout at the end of Manor Park Way?

The regulations don’t allow yellow box markings to be installed on roundabouts unless that junction is controlled by traffic signals. We have installed Keep Clear markings on the roundabout.

Can we have traffic signals at the end of Manor Park Way?

Traffic signals are one option we are considering but they will require major works which will be expensive, so we need to be sure that they really are the right solution.

The roundabout works well on most evenings which suggests that signals are not required under normal circumstances and that we need to solve the problems elsewhere that cause the roundabout to become blocked. There will be no benefit in having a green signal if you are unable to proceed due to traffic queuing across the exit.

Can we have a second exit from the car parks?

This is a very difficult and costly option to provide and would be the responsibility of the Hospital Trust to promote. It would require the Trust to own the land over which the exit was to be made and would be subject to a planning application.

Will it help traffic flow if you turn off/remove the pedestrian crossing at Aldi and make the underpass the only crossing point?

Removing the pedestrian crossing is not an acceptable option as the City Council is trying to promote walking and cycling, and pedestrian underpasses are not well liked by many people.

Observations show that the crossing has limited impact on traffic trying to exit Manor Park Way and is not the cause of the serious delays which can occur.

Can we have red light cameras on the traffic lights as red light jumpers stop us from getting onto the roundabout?

Safety cameras are the responsibility of CREST (Casualty Reduction Enforcement Support Team) which is part of the Derbyshire Road Safety Partnership. Red light cameras are usually used where there is a history of collisions caused by drivers disobeying red traffic signals.