We all know the feeling, you’re trying to get across Elgin in a hurry and there are some junctions you know you just need to stay away from.
You know the ones I mean.
The ones where you just know you’re going to end up in a queue of traffic, or the ones where it’s just easier to take the long way round just to avoid it.
As Elgin continues to grow it feels like I’m adding more and more to my list of the worst junctions I need to stay away from, especially on a Friday afternoon when everyone seems to be out on the roads.
I’ve picked my top, or bottom, 5 below. Have I got it right though? Let me know in the comments section.
Buccaneer boredom
Let’s get stuck into them then, and this one has been on my list of the worst junctions in Elgin for many years.
I can’t remember how long I had to wait the last time I tried to turn right out of Lesmurdie Road towards Lossiemouth at the Buccaneer garage.
Mainly because I just don’t do it, ever. I just know I’ll be quicker driving up the road from Bishopmill if I’m heading to Lossie.
Alright, I don’t know for sure, but I’m fairly confident.
The A941 Elgin to Lossiemouth road is such a busy road that it feels like you’re waiting an eternity to turn right across it.
Sure, I’ll turn left onto Lesmurdie Road when I’m driving in from Lossiemouth. But turning right out of it? Forget it.
The addition of more and more houses at Findrassie is only likely to make this one even busier.
Edging out on Edgar Road
When it’s home time from the schools I just know I need to stay away from turning right onto Edgar Road from The Wards, which is the road leading to the level crossing.
In fairness, there have been some improvements here recently with a dedicated right filter lane.
However, the volume of traffic from the retail parks, from the homes up Glen Moray Drive and from the schools at home time mean it’s one I stay away from.
Throw in the fact it’s an unusual staggered crossroads and it’s one I don’t enjoy driving at.
And it’s one that could be about to get a whole lot busier in the future if Aldi get permission to open a new supermarket on the retail park.
Moss Street misery
Alright, this one isn’t a junction at all, but it is undoubtedly one of the worst bottlenecks in Elgin.
Moss Street is a very busy road but it just isn’t wide enough to accommodate two lanes of traffic plus parked cars.
We’ve all been there driving from the Laichmoray, waiting patiently for all the cars coming the other way while trying to calculate whether there’s enough time to get to the next gap up the hill.
And then if you’re heading from town you’ve got the added complication of leaving some space if traffic is queuing at the roundabout to ensure the whole area doesn’t become completely snarled up.
Several years ago Moray Council actually had plans to make Moss Street one-way, so traffic would only be allowed to drive towards the town centre but not from it.
However, the local authority had to shelve the proposals after the 15-year deadline on using the cash from developer Springfield Properties expired and the money had to be returned.
Waiting at Wittet Drive
The problem of all of the Aberdeen to Inverness traffic filtering through Elgin’s junctions is something you just can’t get around.
Well, you could with a bypass, but that’s another story.
Which junction in Elgin do you think is the worst? Let us know in the comments section which one you try and avoid.
On the whole the roundabouts keep the traffic moving. It may not seem the fastest at times, but you just need to look at Nairn’s traffic lights to see what the alternative is.
The one junction I’m reserving special mention for though is the Wittet Drive turnoff near Dr Gray’s Hospital.
When a vehicle is turning right off the A96 it can lead to traffic being backed up while drivers wait for a space.
And if you’re turning out of Wittet Drive, the visibility is frankly appalling. I often feel as if I’m already on the road before I’ve got a good look at what traffic is coming from the hospital direction.
Sometimes it can feel like a case of turn out, hit the accelerator and hope for the best.
Mansefield crossroads confusion
This is one that I don’t think is particularly bad for backlogs, but for some reason seems to lead to repeated near miss collisions.
Personally, I think the change from the teeny weeny mini roundabout to the traffic lights has been a huge improvement.
However, the slightly off-centre nature of the crossroads appears to have distorted what some drivers think of as straight ahead.
At least, that’s what I think the issue is. It’s a normal crossroads controlled by traffic lights. It shouldn’t be that hard, but for some reason it is sometimes.
I’m sure I’m not the only person who has had a near miss by a driver turning right cutting across me while I go straight ahead.
The addition of the right filter on the traffic lights on South Street as you drive towards the town centre has been an improvement.
Perhaps it’s one motorists just need a bit more time to get used to.
Read more from Elgin
- Has Elgin’s parking situation improved since last year? I take to the streets for a day to find out
- Where will the 1,600 homes go? When will new primary school open? Big questions answered about the Findrassie housing development
- No shops, more than two years late and a bankrupt developer: The saga of how the St Giles Centre in Elgin finally opened
Conversation