please empty your brain below
Middle photo left side, any idea why they've laid what looks like a membrane on the road - I assume they'll tarmac over the top.

Is it a water barrier?

Still Anon | 09.02.25 - 8:54 a.m. | #

Re temporary traffic lights: when a new roundabout was built near me the provider of the traffic lights had an employee sat in a van all day just in case something went wrong. For six months. No wonder everything costs a fortune in this country

Herned | 09.02.25 - 9:41 a.m. | #

I love how the new 'opening date' has been carefully chosen.

Blue Witch | 09.02.25 - 9:42 a.m. | #

We had some roadworks near me that lasted two years and most of that time had some poor soul sat in a van during the day to keep an eye on the lights. But all they did was make sure the lights worked - not that the sequencing was any good. During rush hour the temporary lights regularly gummed up but the traffic light babysitter never cared about trying to unblock the traffic.

And if the lights failed at one minute past five? They stay broken untill the next morning.

Jon Jones | 09.02.25 - 9:55 a.m. | #

There's a bit about the Bow roundabout and how it came about in this just-published video on London's Lost Motorways, starting from about 10 minutes in.

Dave Howes | 09.02.25 - 2:38 p.m. | #

In related news, I've just received a copy of TfL's Silvertown Tunnel opening guide for local residents (full colour, 20 pages).

I feel I could write a whole post about how useless the maps are for drivers, bus passengers and cyclists.

diamond geezer | Homepage | 09.02.25 - 2:54 p.m. | #

"But all they did was make sure the lights worked - not that the sequencing was any good."

Talked to the local council during one of the public consultations... temporary traffic light sequencing is something that the council or TfL seem to have a say over (or bother having a say over), let alone them being sychronised with SCOOT and whatever its successor is (technically possible I was told, just not deemed worth the expense). Which is all rather odd given how much emphasis TfL usually puts on junction capacity and signal timings.

Re: Silvertown Tunnel opening guide for local residents.
Please do write an entire blog post about it! Especially considering how it doesn't seem to be available online yet.

matthieu1221 | 09.02.25 - 3:05 p.m. | #

Near where I live a new pedestrian crossing with traffic lights (whatever they are called these days) was completed about three years ago, and they even put up permanent warning signs on the road. Since then the lights have never been switched on and are covered with bags, and pedestrians are kept off by plastic barriers. It was apparently provided as a planning requirement when new houses were built nearby, but there is very little traffic or pedestrians to justify it. The delay appears to be because it only leads to a stone wall, the boundary of a park and ride site, which could have been removed with a few days work.

kev | 09.02.25 - 4:15 p.m. | #

Reminds me of the junction of Plaistow High Street and Clegg Street where they finally added pedestrian signals to the traffic lights… except one set of pedestrian signals have been covered since the works finished more than six months ago. Every journey matters… unless you’re a pedestrian trying to cross two lanes of traffic.

Auntie Susan | 09.02.25 - 9:50 p.m. | #

Resurfacing (and associated major road closures) has been announced for 9pm-5am on the nights of 24th, 25th, 26th and 28th February.

diamond geezer | Homepage | 12.02.25 - 2:54 p.m. | #











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