False web alert for major roadworks leaves Windsor motorists baffled

Drivers planning their journeys around Windsor were left confused this week after a roadworks information website announced work had started at a major junction in the town.

The roadworks.org site – the ‘largest single source of local roadworks information in the UK’ – warned drivers of traffic disruption because of alterations to the junction at St Leonard’s Road, Winkfield Road and Clewer Hill Road.

The website warned the roadworks were likely to be in place from Tuesday until Friday, March 11.

Cllr Colin Rayner, cabinet member for highways and transport, said the borough had pre-emptively told roadworks.org that works would be taking place in case a decision had been reached on Windsor’s traffic consultation proposals.

The consultation, which took place in October, asked the public to choose from two plans to help improve traffic congestion.

Cllr Rayner said they had scheduled in the roadworks because they thought they may have taken a decision.

But, he said: “What we’ve found is the solutions are not ideal so we’re having to rethink the designs and we’re taking on board everything the residents have said.”

Russell Bell, principal traffic engineer for the Royal Borough, added that it had notified www.roadworks.org that the planned works would not be going ahead and blamed the confusion on an ‘IT issue’.

He said: “Roadworks.org extracts data from our Street Work Register and there appears to have been an IT issue between the two parties where data wasn’t being extracted correctly.

“The notification was cancelled during the consultation period back in December.”

The results of the public consultation will be discussed by cabinet next month.