Hamburger: A design classic

4:29pm Sunday 29th June 2008

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Oxford's so-called hamburger roundabout has won an award for its innovative and practical design.

The junction, nicknamed because the A40 cuts through its centre, was constructed to ease congestion around one of the city's busiest bottlenecks.

Completed in late 2006, the project has now been honoured by the Thames Valley branch of the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE).

The hamburger - better known as the Green Road roundabout - triumphed over four other nominations in the major projects category at the awards on June 20.

Awards co-ordinator Howard Larkin said: "It was a very impressive project.

"The biggest thing that impressed us was the co-operative nature of it.

"All the parties involved seemed to get on very well to achieve a badly needed bit of improvement. I gather it was pretty appalling before.

"It definitely achieved what it set out to do and it seems Barton has been particularly well served by it, reducing queueing times out of the estate quite dramat- ically."

Sue Holden, the secretary of the Barton Community Association, uses the junction three or four times a day.

She said: "When I first went to the consultation and saw there were no traffic lights for Barton I was quite cross and thought we had been overlooked in the whole scheme - I just could not understand their reasoning.

"Then we had to put up with all the hassle as it was built, but I have to say it is the best piece of engineering I have ever seen in the 40 years I have lived in Oxford.

"It has made an amazing difference to the traffic flow. I can remember the days when traffic went back to beyond the turning to Forest Hill, but we just do not get those situations any more.

"Even when there are tailbacks it just seems to keep moving. I think the award is quite justified because it has made such a difference."

County councillor Ian Hudspeth, cabinet member for transport, said: "The professionals say we did an excellent job, the queue lengths at the roundabout demonstrate this and we are very pleased with the outcome."

Last year, Birse Civilscorr, the contractor responsible for the roundabout, scooped the bronze award in the National Considerate Constructors Awards for its work on the junction.