[Travel] Earwig Corner, Lewes

Official Old Man · Jun 17, 2021

For those who don't know the area, Earwig Corner in Lewes is a traffic jam every day. Cars leaving Lewes who want to turn right towards Ringmer have to stay in the main traffic lane and cause chaos most of the time. Every year work is done to the junction but nothing changes.
A few months ago signs went up 'Road Works For 18 Weeks From 1st June, Expect Delays'. Generally this means 20 to 30 minute holdups with three way traffic lights.
But full marks to the construction company this time. They have 'Spotters' about half a mile back down each road and someone controlling the traffic lights. The queues are still long but they switch to green the longest queue. I may be a long way down the road but wizz through within 5 minutes in rush hour.
FANTASTIC.

Sid in the Sharknado · Jun 17, 2021

I remember the good times said:
For those who don't know the area, Earwig Corner in Lewes is a traffic jam every day. Cars leaving Lewes who want to turn right towards Ringmer have to stay in the main traffic lane and cause chaos most of the time. Every year work is done to the junction but nothing changes.
A few months ago signs went up 'Road Works For 18 Weeks From 1st June, Expect Delays'. Generally this means 20 to 30 minute holdups with three way traffic lights.
But full marks to the construction company this time. They have 'Spotters' about half a mile back down each road and someone controlling the traffic lights. The queues are still long but they switch to green the longest queue. I may be a long way down the road but wizz through within 5 minutes in rush hour.
FANTASTIC.

Good to hear :clap2:

I wonder how long you could just pay people to stand around controlling the traffic in that way, before it became more expensive than actually doing any physical work to the junction? Bearing in mind it's probably only necessary a couple of hours a day.

Gwylan · Jun 17, 2021

I remember the good times said:
For those who don't know the area, Earwig Corner in Lewes is a traffic jam every day. Cars leaving Lewes who want to turn right towards Ringmer have to stay in the main traffic lane and cause chaos most of the time. Every year work is done to the junction but nothing changes.
A few months ago signs went up 'Road Works For 18 Weeks From 1st June, Expect Delays'. Generally this means 20 to 30 minute holdups with three way traffic lights.
But full marks to the construction company this time. They have 'Spotters' about half a mile back down each road and someone controlling the traffic lights. The queues are still long but they switch to green the longest queue. I may be a long way down the road but wizz through within 5 minutes in rush hour.
FANTASTIC.

If the delay caused by roadworks is just five minutes, then I suggest your description of 'chaos' in normal circumstances may be a touch exaggerated. :lolol:

zefarelly · Jun 17, 2021

I head west these days. IF my journey in recent weeks is anything to go by, the roads are busier than ever.

Trains and buses are still largely empty though?

Sid in the Sharknado · Jun 17, 2021

Gwylan said:
If the delay caused by roadworks is just five minutes, then I suggest your description of 'chaos' in normal circumstances may be a touch exaggerated.

If it's only 5min at rush hour that's certainly a drastic improvement on what it's normally like, coming out from Ringmer onto the A26 at least.

theboybilly · Jun 17, 2021

If only there were a more sustainable alternative to single-occupancy vehicles :wink:

Weststander · Jun 17, 2021

Even without that, I've witnessed many a time a southband A26 jam in the mornings from near The Cock Inn to Earwig corner. I was travelling in the opposition direction.

zefarelly · Jun 17, 2021

theboybilly said:
If only there were a more sustainable alternative to single-occupancy vehicles

yes.

I've tried running 3 vintage Lambrettas for my 50 miles a day. It is not the answer for everyone. Bloody hard work even for a die hard.

neither is a MK1 Cortina, although arguably more 'sustainable' given its age already.

I suppose I could fly from Shoreham and cycle to/fro airports. :blush:

dazzer6666 · Jun 17, 2021

Sid in the Sharknado said:
Good to hear

I wonder how long you could just pay people to stand around controlling the traffic in that way, before it became more expensive than actually doing any physical work to the junction? Bearing in mind it's probably only necessary a couple of hours a day.

I thought the roadworks were a requirement in advance of the new housing estates going up between Lewes and Ringmer..........might be a lot worse than couple of hours once they're finished...............

Official Old Man · Jun 17, 2021

Gwylan said:
If the delay caused by roadworks is just five minutes, then I suggest your description of 'chaos' in normal circumstances may be a touch exaggerated.

Not at all, as users of this junction will know. That's why they try a different setup every other year but nothing works.

Sid in the Sharknado said:
If it's only 5min at rush hour that's certainly a drastic improvement on what it's normally like, coming out from Ringmer onto the A26 at least.

Yes. With the lights being controlled the longest queue gets cleared quicker.

Weststander said:
Even without that, I've witnessed many a time a southband A26 jam in the mornings from near The Cock Inn to Earwig corner. I was travelling in the opposition direction.

Yep. When I saw the signs two months ago memories of jams back beyond the Cock Inn came flooding back. Even thought about moving!

FloatLeft · Jun 17, 2021

Are they creating a larger filter lane for traffic from Lewes turning right for Ringmer so as not to block traffic to Uckfield?

Sid in the Sharknado · Jun 17, 2021

dazzer6666 said:
I thought the roadworks were a requirement in advance of the new housing estates going up between Lewes and Ringmer..........might be a lot worse than couple of hours once they're finished...............

That's my understanding, albeit I don't know exactly what the final extent of those estates will be beyond those in progress at the moment.

In general though, most traffic would be expected to occur at rush hour, and to the extent that people work at different times to avoid that, you reduce the maximum strain on the road network.

You'd also hope that more people are going to be working from home at least some of the time in future, and if there's more commuters the bus company might be able to justify running more busses during the week. Or people could cycle into Lewes or Brighton.

Anyway, I choose to assume they considered all this. As a civil engineer I have an interest in finding reasons to not build things.

In any case, that junction is a bit of a nonsense, so widening it probably is a good idea anyway.

dazzer6666 · Jun 17, 2021

FloatLeft said:
Are they creating a larger filter lane for traffic from Lewes turning right for Ringmer so as not to block traffic to Uckfield?

Yup

Cowfold Seagull · Jun 17, 2021

I remember the good times said:
For those who don't know the area, Earwig Corner in Lewes is a traffic jam every day. Cars leaving Lewes who want to turn right towards Ringmer have to stay in the main traffic lane and cause chaos most of the time. Every year work is done to the junction but nothing changes.
A few months ago signs went up 'Road Works For 18 Weeks From 1st June, Expect Delays'. Generally this means 20 to 30 minute holdups with three way traffic lights.
But full marks to the construction company this time. They have 'Spotters' about half a mile back down each road and someone controlling the traffic lights. The queues are still long but they switch to green the longest queue. I may be a long way down the road but wizz through within 5 minutes in rush hour.
FANTASTIC.

Just pity the poor sods who have the bad luck to be in the shortest queue, and end up being marooned for hours with the lights permanantly on red!

LamieRobertson · Jun 17, 2021

zefarelly said:
I head west these days. IF my journey in recent weeks is anything to go by, the roads are busier than ever.

Trains and buses are still largely empty though?

For sure..getting from job to job is definitely taking longer for me and seems hardly anyone on busses

Publius Ovidius · Jun 17, 2021

This summer’s staycation Britain is going to be horrendous on the roads.

Just think how bad the main motorways M25, M5, M4, M6 for people heading out towards the Lake District and down to the West Country etc will be looking at how terrible roads are at school holiday and half term / bank holidays. We are not set up for 20 million people hitting the roads all at once for the summer holidays.

I feel sorry for families trying to get away

beorhthelm · Jun 17, 2021

went though there at the weekend, no spotters but long lights (so after a wait go through on one). there's extensive reworking of the banking there presumably to make a real difference, rather than fanny around with kerbs and lines they usually do.

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[Travel] Earwig Corner, Lewes

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