I live in such a road. On most maps (A-Z, Street Finder, etc.) it
looks as though my road goes into the docks near Canary Wharf. In
reality there is only a pedestrian access to Mill Harbour and the
road goes through two 90 lefts and comes back on itself but vehicles
were virtually queuing up to ask locals how to get into the Docks.
The worst thing was that 40 foot trucks would get to the end, find no
exit and were too long to get round the corners to get out so they
would reverse the whole length of the road with a couple of inches to
spare from the residents' cars either side. Several kids got injured
and there were many more near misses!

I wrote to the Council (Tower Hamlets) several times but got no reply
so, when I had a chance to speak to the head of Highways at a public
meeting, I suggested that they put up signs saying "No Access to
Docklands". This was duly done but because the signs were only
2-foot square black on white nobody noticed them. After further
consultation the Council finally put up proper 'No Through Road'
signs and the problem was solved.

The road isn't a rat-run as it just comes out near where it comes in
but it does get busy with kids and adults going to the Leisure
Centre/Swimming Pool opposite me and the extra traffic and reversing
lorries had made it a nightmare.

BTW I am *not* a councillor, just one of the peasants who found his
voice and used it :-)

--

Phil ,,,^.".^,,,

That seems to be the opposite - we are talking about roads that are
shown as dead-ends but really are through roads.

An example in Hampstead is Gayton Road off Hampstead High Street. It
has a sign "environmental area, no through route" but in fact will
take you through to Well Walk and East Heath Road where you can turn
left and rejoin the A502 at Hampstead Pond.

In fact you have many other chances to take this "rat-run", the first
one being a right-turn into Parkhill Road then a forced left into
Fleet Road which becomes South End Road and then East Heath Road.

Be warned though - there can be long tailbacks down East Heath Road up
to the pond (which is nowhere near Pond Street, by the way).