AT LAST it seems highway bosses are to take action over what has become one of the worst bottlenecks in the south.

The junction of the M27 and M271 motorways has for too long been somewhere to avoid, especially at peak traffic times.

Now, as this paper reports today, there are ambitious plans to solve the jams by adding new lanes to Junction 3 in both directions.

Alas, there are also plans to add even more traffic lights to the traffic island that is at the centre of where the highways converge.

Lost in the mists of time are the reasons why the traffic island was ever created...

Surely anyone considering creating an efficient link between two major roads, especially motorways acting as vital arteries into a major city, would avoid restricting traffic flow in such a way?

We have to hope that by avoiding the temptation to simply provide extra traffic light-free lanes to enable vehicles to flow between the two motorways, highway planners have done their homework and believe it is the best way to keep motorists safe as well as moving. We have to hope.

But why does this paper have a sneaking suspicion that traffic lights are being added – just because they can?