Traffic flow improvements at Newbridge Roundabout

Newbridge Roundabout has been a notorious congestion point on the primary network in Scotland for at least 10 years, particularly during peak periods. The implementation of traffic management improvements, by the installation of traffic signal control, has provided a control system which allows a "queue balancing" approach to be adopted in accordance with adopted policies. As such, it represents a good example of network management by the traffic engineer. This can be enhanced in the future along an important commuter corridor in/out of Edinburgh by the integration of control at Newbridge and Gogar Roundabouts using Lothian Regional Council's remote monitoring system. The loop detection system implemented enhances the fixed time control system and elevates it to a semidynamic system of control. The present system is considered to be worthy of consideration as an enhancement elsewhere with traffic signals at roundabouts now being a common practice within the field of traffic management. The positioning of detector loops depend on individual junctions and traffic circumstances; the hierarchical ground rules will relate to local policy - as will the plan enhancements adopted by the logic system.