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New signs at Westhill roundabout after confusion over changed road markings

Readers say the new roundabout layout has made traffic in the area "worse".

New signs at a Westhill roundabout have been installed to ease confusion.
Image: Kami Thomson/DC Thomson
New signs at a Westhill roundabout have been installed to ease confusion. Image: Kami Thomson/DC Thomson

New signs have been installed at a Westhill roundabout after a change to the road layout which resulted in a week of confusion for drivers.

Arrows were painted on Westhill Drive to direct drivers at the Tesco roundabout on September 13.

Aberdeenshire Council changed the layout to “improve traffic flow” by spreading it over the two lanes.

However, drivers were left confused by the new road markings, with many asking for clearer signage to be installed.

Many readers also claimed the changes made traffic “worse” with even longer queues than before.

The new sign now lets drivers know about the road changes on approach to the roundabout. Image: Kami Thomson/DC Thomson

Last week, a spokesman for Aberdeenshire Council told the Press and Journal that they “listened carefully to road users” and agreed to install the additional signage.

It is understood the permanent signs were put up on Friday.

The sign on Westhill Drive is at the turn-off for the Lawsondale Pavillion and Playing Fields. Image: Kami Thomson/DC Thomson

What was changed at the roundabout?

Previously, many drivers coming south towards the roundabout from the Holiday Inn would use the left lane on Westhill Drive to travel onto the A944 towards Aberdeen, or straight ahead to the town’s big Tesco.

The right lane would typically be used for turning right, accessing Straik Road in the westward direction of Alford.

There were no markings on the road before, but now drivers in the left lane are only allowed to go left and not straight. Image: Kami Thomson/DC Thomson

But now, markings have been laid on the road instructing people that the left lane is for turning left only, to spread the traffic over the two lanes.

The markings on Straik Road heading eastwards towards Aberdeen have also been updated.

Straik Road was “right only” in the right-hand lane before the markings were updated. Image: Kami Thomson/DC Thomson

The right lane was previously a right turn only, but now both lanes enable drivers to go straight ahead towards Aberdeen.

New markings weren’t visible enough

Before the new signage was put up, readers took to social media to argue the road markings weren’t clear enough.

Irene Falconer explained there are “still a lot of drivers going straight across at the ‘turn left’ road marking”.

She added: “Doesn’t help if there’s cars covering the only turn left arrow on the road.”

Drivers were still confused by the new markings last week. Image: Darrell Benns/DC Thomson

Linda Young said she was “caught out” because she couldn’t see the arrows because of the cars in front of her covering them.

She wrote: “I got caught out there on Tuesday – road markings not visible if cars in front, I saw them very late and found I was in the wrong lane.”

The roundabout in Westhill is always busy. Image: Darrell Benns/DC Thomson

Although Ian Brown agrees with the changes, he believes they could have been better communicated.

“A sign would have helped,” he wrote.

“At rush hour [there’s] a lot of folk [who] won’t even see the road markings due to traffic.

“Unfortunately, still a few that don’t see it, better than last week but on Sunday a motorcyclist nearly ended up on my bonnet so sticking a temporary sign up is maybe a small cost, to be honest.”

‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’

Others like Fiona Grassick don’t think the road changes have helped ease the traffic problems.

She said: “It really hasn’t made the traffic any better in fact it has made it worse coming from Westhill Drive, the queue there most days is awful.”

Queues of traffic waiting to get onto the roundabout at Westhill Drive. Image: Kami Thomson/DC Thomson

Alisdair Campbell added: “Is that not a little contrary to how we are taught to position ourselves for a two-lane approach? I would be concerned when making exit ahead that someone, also exiting, might be coming in on me at the rear near-side.”

Linda Shaw wrote: “Literally asking for accidents. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

Stuart Ritchie agreed and said: “Seems more congested since it’s been changed.”

Signs are clear, ‘just drivers not paying attention’

Meanwhile, others can’t understand why some are confused by the new markings.

Readers like Louise Strachan believe the markings are “standard” and clear enough.

She said: “What’s confusing about an arrow in the lane going left and an arrow showing straight on and right in the other lane? Standard roundabout markings surely?”

Image: Kami Thomson/DC Thomson

Barry Coull wrote: “When you drive you’re supposed to pay attention at all times, if you did you would see the road markings.”

Iain Fraser agreed: “Confusing? Nope, just drivers not paying attention.”

Margery Swinton added: “No, clear enough. There are lots of roundabouts that use these markings.”

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