manshimajin

Trams can be as successful as buses and commuter trains - viz. Vienna, Melbourne, Warsaw. But that ain't the point is it? Is it really worth spending £4 million on a roundabout to make a (perhaps) 30 second improvement in travel times in peak hours? or should we: a) save the money (taxpayers money) and save all the delays and frustrations whilst it is being built, b) spend the money on something that will contribute more to people's lives (public transport, safer roads, resurfacing roads, care homes....), or c) build a new tower at the airport.... If the DoT really want to go ahead with this I just hope that it is only half-completed at the time of the next Tynwald elections.

In a sensible world a major project like this should be evaluated against the alternatives. For example it would be great to see the DOT come up with a document that identified the public transport improvements that could be made for £4 million and their economic value, versus the economic value of the benefits that will be generated by spending £4 million on the QB roundabout (and factoring in the costs that will be caused by delays during its construction). But then that is is in the real world isn't it...I am not sure if MHK's understand economic value - presumably they do so should be able to ask for this sort of evaluation before agreeing to spending taxpayers' money.

Because it looks Ok does not mean that it is necessary. Drivers still have to get out into the traffic flow - something a few of them don't seem to have the skill to do. Have the DoT produced a cost benefit/analysis or is this just a 'nice to do'. Should £4 million of your money and mine (about £200 per family) be spent on this without having some form of commercially sound justification? PS: How does a pedestrian cross the road - there does not seem to be any provision in the crayon sketh.

So its going to cover the whole island - is that why it will be oval in shape? Check this out: http://www.armin-grewe.com/holiday/wiltshi...-roundabout.htm Apparently the DoT have already got an experimental version operating in the UK.

... or painting white side lines down the country roads to make them safer at night - the stone walls sometimes leap out in the dark and terrify drivers (see RTA [or was that RTC?] at the Nunnery). I still like the idea of a flyover - proper nations have flyovers!

Do you think that this will stretch as far as the Tesco roundabout? Personally I would prefer a flyover and underpasses - would look like better value for £4 million (still it's a lot less than those runway extensions).