The roundabout was recently opened on Fendon Road in Cambridge to deal with the road’s poor accident record. It features a red cycle lane ‘ring’ around the circumference of the roundabout.
If a cyclist is using the lane, drivers must slow down or come to a stop on entering or exiting the roundabout to let the rider cross in front of them safely. The same rule applies when people are using the pedestrian crossing.
Mind the (lack of a) gap
All the roads coming into and leading away from the roundabout are narrower than usual to encourage drivers to slow down as they approach or exit. The roundabout’s carriageway widths are also narrower to again reduce overall traffic speeds.
To ensure all road users understand how to navigate the new roundabout, the local council has even produced a video:
Controversial decision
While the Dutch may be used to seeing such safety-focused roundabouts in, say, Amsterdam, the Cambridge version has raised eyebrows among taxpayers.
The main reasons? The delays and the spiralling costs. While expected to come in at £1.4 million, the eventual cost shot up to a whopping £2.4 million.
Coming to your town soon?
If the design is shown to reduce accidents and injuries, then expect Dutch-style roundabouts to begin popping up in UK towns and cities all over the country.
Get Ready for Your Theory Test
