Let's take a closer look at the history and magic of roundabouts

Yes, that's right, roundabouts. You may think this is a strange subject, but when I started looking into roundabouts I found them quite interesting.

There are numerous pages on the subject on the internet, if you have time.

We all know what they are. They can cause confusion at a place where there had been an easy road junction. Americans don't have them.

When did they start? There is a record of one in America in 1904 in New York City, which became known as the Columbus Circle, designed by William Phelps Eno.

These were known as circles or rotaries.

By 1906 Eugene Henard, an architect in Paris, proposed a '˜one-way circulation around a central island' and there was another in 1907 in the Place de l'Etoile which became known as the first French Gyratory.

Ultimately, these '˜traffic circles' fell out of favour in the USA and were replaced by signals at intersections.

It was not until the 1920s they seemed to have arrived in the UK, although there are other reports which talk of the main upsurge of interest in the UK arriving around the 1950s.

Australia also introduced them in the 1950s following the emigration of British traffic engineers.

A modern report talks about the expansion of the use of these roundabouts, as they were beginning to be called, into France around the 1970s.

In the mid-1990s there were about 15,000 roundabouts.

So what about the roundabouts in Bognor Regis?

One of the major roundabouts in the town must be the large, attractive one at the junction of Shripney Road, Chichester Road and the Upper Bognor Road, which was constructed in the 1970s and contains a number of trees.

This has been greatly enhanced in recent years by the work of Town Force as they carefully attend the boats with their flowers.

Places like this help the area attain their Britain in Bloom awards.

If you take the time to look you will be surprised how many different styles there are.

A number contain flowers, such as at Orchard Road and also outside Butlin's.

On some of the small estates there are only white circles with a number of arrows, or, regretfully, someone thought the small island at the junction of Linden Road and Victoria Drive could be changed from flowers to a covering of bricks.

It is so easy to enhance these traffic islands with both elements, as shown in Aldwick with the island at the junction of the Lower Bognor Road and Aldwick Road.

One area of the town has had a number of aids to traffic.

The small roundabout outside Hotham Park and the university buildings was known as the Triangle and had a small area of trees, complete with a rustic seat.

In the 1950s traffic lights were installed. Today we have the small roundabout to aid the increasing amount of traffic.

These islands now have to cope with a large number of vehicles of an increasing size.

While we may feel roundabouts are a hindrance when we're driving, they can also greatly enhance our time in the car with their very colourful appearance. The boats on our largest roundabout prove this.

Sadly those outside our area can provide a very drab entrance to the town.

Modern sponsorship provides much of the cash for this facility alongside the care and attention of those attending our roads.

If you feel a roundabout near you is worthy of mention, let me know.

Why not join the Roundabouts of Britain website? Have a bit of fun with this lighter look at our roadways.