This is Scotland's worst roundabout where drivers suffer the most stress

Daily Record

2 days ago

The junction was the only Scottish entry in a list of the most stressful roundabouts in the UK outside of London
Navigating roundabouts can be nerve-wracking for some drivers, especially if they have several lanes, traffic lights controls or are just constantly rammed with traffic. But there is one in Scotland which is officially the most stressful, according to new research.
The offending roundabout is one which has been described as a notorious bottleneck and sees an average of 40,000 vehicles pass through it on a daily basis. And the six-arm roundabout connects several routes and is situated on the southern fringes of Edinburgh.
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Sheriffhall roundabout placed sixth in a top ten of the most stressful roundabouts outside of London.
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And it was the only Scottish entry to take the dubious crown.
The research, conducted by vehicle lease firm, Select Car Leasing, determined the most stressful roundabouts in the UK by comparing a number of different factors, including recorded incident data, the complexity of each layout, and the maximum speed limits of entry roads.
While the top spot went to Brook Street Interchange in Brentwood, Essex, Sheriffhall made the list with a stress factor of 26.80/60.
The roundabout first appeared on the outskirts of the capital city in a different form in 1988 when the section of bypass between Sheriffhall and Old Craighall Junction (on the A1 to the east) opened.
It wasn't until 1989 that the western side was completed. And in March 1990, the A720 city bypass, including the Sheriffhall roundabout, was officially declared open and has become a crucial, if congested, route to the south east of Scotland.
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There are plans to upgrade the junction with money for this allocated in 2018. This includes a proposed flyover which would ease congestion and separate local traffic from motorway traffic.
But there have been delays and fears that the cost will far exceed the original £120 million price tag. There have also been objections from climate campaigners who argue it would generate more traffic.
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The most stressful roundabout in the UK title went to Brook Street Interchange. It scored a stress factor of 53.43/60 in the study.
The report revealed that the roundabout has had 217 recorded incidents over the past 25 years, including 186 slight, 27 serious, and 4 fatal.
In second place, with an overall score of 41.21/60 is Mar dyke Interchange in Aveley, Essex. The roundabout has a complex layout and heavy traffic as it connects major routes like the A13 and A1206. This means it sees a constant flow of vehicles, which can make navigation a bit overwhelming.
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And in third spot is the A470 Abercynon Roundabout in Abercynon, Wales . The roundabout achieved a score of 32.32/60 in the study. The roundabout has had 97 incidents in total, including 85 slight , 10 serious and two fatal .
The top 10 most stressful roundabouts outside of London:
Brook Street Interchange in Brentwood, Essex - 53.43/60
Mar dyke Interchange in Aveley, Essex - 41.21/60
A470 Abercynon Roundabout in Abercynon, Wales - 32.32/60
Fishbourne Roundabout in Chichester, West Sussex - 31.18/60
The Great Cambridge Road Junction in Cambridge, Cambridgeshire - 28.44/60
Sheriffhall Roundabout in Edinburgh, Scotland - 26.80/60
Cockhedge Green Island in Warrington, Cheshire - 26.39/60
Portsbridge Roundabout in Portsmouth, Hampshire - 25.54/60
Bramham Crossroads in Tadcaster, West Yorkshire - 25.14/60
Park Square roundabout in Sheffield, South Yorkshire - 23.60/60