Why is it all the complaints regarding the Botley Road roundabout traffic lights come from petty individuals wishing to avoid a few extra minutes on their journey times?

It is narrow-minded of these drivers not to realise that these lights have not been installed to frustrate them, but to prevent the inevitable accident that would certainly occur through traffic queuing on the A34.

The individual who invented the roundabout must have had some skill, however, he never considered that the simple process of giving way to traffic coming from your right becomes completely flawed in the event of the roundabout becoming gridlocked.

As long as traffic continues to move, then cars leaving the A34 and A420 have some chance of gaining entry to the roundabout.

However, as soon as gridlock occurs, traffic coming from the right has right of way.

Unfortunately, the driving culture in the UK is invariably not to let cars in – particularly if you have been waiting to be let in yourself.

The result is that once gridlock occurs, the build up of traffic backs onto the A34 – and quickly becomes a very high risk factor.

How many times have you stopped or slowed on a congested trunk road, and automatically looked in your mirror – hoping that the vehicle behind you has seen your brake lights?

Accidents and loss of life occur on trunk roads when drivers fail to take notice of slower moving traffic.

Stationary traffic on a trunk road, unless it includes all lanes, is an accident waiting to happen.

Naturally the issue is compounded by weather conditions.

I would agree that these lights may be suited to operation in peak hours only, but I really do not understand the issues that on-off traffic lights may create.

Nick Duval, The Highwayman Hotel, Kidlington