Every driver has something that really makes them mad.
Whether it's traffic jams or people who fail to indicate, there are plenty of annoyances out their on the roads - and weird roundabouts are right up there on the list of popular bugbears. The first roundabout was built in 1909 in Letchworth Garden City, but they became more widespread in the 1960s and they aim to ease congestion at busy junctions.
But not all roundabouts are the same and the oddly-shaped or difficult to navigate ones really give some motorists anxiety as they approach the junctions. And Wirral has its fair share of odd and difficult roundabouts that lead to irritation for drivers and pedestrians.
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We have rounded up some, but if you think we have missed one that really annoys you, let us know in the comments below.
The kidney bean
The Moreton Cross roundabout is in the heart of the village centre making it unavoidable for anyone who has difficulty navigating it. Shaped like a kidney bean, it can be tense trying to move over into the outside lane to make your turn off.
The double roundabout
The dreaded double roundabout. As if the fear of going through one wasn't enough there are two linking Lever Causeway to Thornton Road and Mount Road in Bebington.
The best advice for getting through both is to treat them both separately as individual roundabouts and give way to traffic coming from your right.
The one where you have to give way
In Wallasey Village, there is a roundabout where you have to stop mid-circle and give way to the oncoming traffic. While not overly complicated, it can be a surprise if you have never used it before.
The one even pedestrians hate
The roundabout linking St Hilary's Brow to Breck Road is on an angle at the top of a hill making it difficult to drive over. Equally, it is an incredibly hard place to cross the road as a pedestrian.
The one where people can't see
The oval shaped roundabout that connects Bebington Road with Church Road can be very difficult for some to get over, particularly if you are approaching from the smaller roads; Mount Road and Everest Road. While cars coming from the two B roads don't really need to slow down, it can prove a challenge for people on the other adjoining roads to know when it is safe to enter and exit the roundabout.
The 'Pork Pie'
Known locally as the 'pork pie' roundabout, approaching this junction in Thingwall from Barnston Road can be particularly difficult to do. It is a very busy road as it leads down towards Arrowe Park Hospital making it even more tricky.
The one with a church in the middle
In the heart of Birkenhead North is St James Church which is surrounded by crossings and junctions. The roundabout is littered with traffic lights following a recent revamp of the road layout, but it still is very confusing unless you know exactly which turn off you need.
The roundabout that's not a roundabout
A special mention goes to the non priority junction on Tower Road in Birkenhead which confused many drivers when it was first completed in February 2021. Due to the circular shape, many thought it was a roundabout and was slammed by people who used the road as a "nightmare".
Wirral Council was able to confirm the status of the junction and how people should use it. A spokesperson for the authority said: “Junctions like this one are ‘no priority’ and do not give one vehicle a right over another nor do they give vehicle drivers priority over people walking and on bikes.
“They operate on the basis of all users reducing speed or stopping in order to negotiate the junction safely.”
And the good ones
But, not all of Wirral's roundabouts give us a sense of panic, last year the 'Clown Roundabout' in New Brighton won Roundabout of GB as announced by Kevin Beresford otherwise known as 'Dull Kev' who is the president of the UK Roundabout Appreciation Society (UKRAS).
They said: "Each year the UK Roundabout Appreciation Society committee members discuss, argue, debate, rage and indeed fight over which UK roundabout deserves to be the UK Roundabout of the Year. The highest traffic island accolade to UK city, town or even village.
"This year's award goes to the "Clown Roundabout" in Merseyside. A wonderful Wallasey roundabout situated at the mouth of the River Mersey. "
Best practice advice for roundabouts
The RAC gives comprehensive advice for anyone concerned about approaching a roundabout and how to navigate through safely. They said: "The approaching traffic usually gives way to traffic already on the roundabout, which always comes from the right.
"By waiting for a safe gap – you can join the flow of traffic and continue in the correct lane until reaching your exit. Ensure that you signal before you leave the roundabout. You would usually signal as you pass the exit just before the one you need.
"It’s also possible and recommended to use a roundabout to perform a U-turn. This is the safest option. Like regular roads, larger roundabouts consist of different lanes. Only by joining a roundabout in the correct lane will you be able to access your chosen exit.
"A typical roundabout has three or four exits, although in some cases there can be as many as seven, or as few as two."
Read their full safety advice here.
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