Jams tomorrow... and beyond (From Bournemouth Echo)

Jams tomorrow... and beyond

9:00am Tuesday 24th November 2009 in

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SO it all went pear shaped yesterday. And that’s putting it politely.

After last week’s frustration and chaos on the A338 southbound, on Monday the misery was more generously spread, just about everywhere across Bournemouth.

Road chiefs bowed to pressure and switched the preparatory work they’re currently doing from the southbound carriageway to the northbound.

They expected the problems one way, but were clearly caught by surprise over the facts there were jams in both directions and elsewhere too.

The weather probably didn’t help and nor did a spate of minor accidents which caused a series of localised hold ups.

Okay, we all think we know a thing or two about congestion and that those responsible for these things couldn’t organise a set of cones in a contraflow, but with all their computer models, statistics and surveys, you have to wonder why Dorset’s traffic managers didn’t anticipate the effects of their revised plans – albeit that they don’t have a crystal ball.

Project manager, David Diaz, admits in today’s paper that yesterday’s problems were “not acceptable” and on that at least he’s on the same wavelength as thousands of frustrated drivers and employers.

Traffic management isn’t rocket science, so why do they get it so wrong so often?

In the meantime, the best we’ll get in the next few days is a review of a review. That’ll be worth the wait.