Roundabouts can be a tricky thing to get your head around for many drivers – especially if there are lots of lanes, and different roundabouts combined into one. Anyone familiar with Colchester will be aware of the magic roundabout, locally known as ‘the Greenstead roundabout’, named after the housing estate that borders it.
Made up of five mini roundabouts, this is a route which locals have to manoeuvre everyday. However, some residents say that there is a roundabout in Colchester which instills fear in the most experienced drivers – which is the A133 Ipswich Road roundabout.
Back in 2018, Essex Highways undertook an improvement scheme on the A133 Ipswich Road/Harwich Road. The scheme saw the replacement of the double roundabouts located at Ipswich Road and Harwich Road with a single roundabout at each location.
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The carriageway between Ipswich Road and Harwich Road junctions was also set to be widened to accommodate two formal lanes in each direction. The scheme included upgrading existing pedestrian crossings to signal controlled crossings and general improvements to the current off-carriageway cycle and footway provisions.
Despite this being completed, residents still complained about how much of a nightmare the roundabout – located near the LIDL on St. Andrews Avenue – truly is. On a Facebook post made by EssexLive about Colchester’s magic roundabout, locals said that the Ipswich roundabout is just as chaotic, if not worse.
Rachel Burrows commented: “Much safer than the mess of the Ipswich road roundabout, where unless everyone indicates, (which they don’t), you’re constantly guessing which exit the cars are going to take.”
Leanne Howard added: “It’s not that bad really. The new Harwich and Ipswich Road roundabouts are much worse!”