Traffic lights/signals | Motoring discussion | Back Room Forum

Mon 17 Mar 2008 08:10

Traffic lights/signals - Mad Maxy

There must be a set of dotty DoT (or is it DfT or something even more contrived?) regs that specify a forest of traffic signals at junctions and pedestrian crossings. In Aylesbury, a new set of pedestrian lights (part of a road revamp that has caused congestion where none existed before) has SIX light boxes in each direction, three at different heights (one so high it's only useful to top-deck bus passengers) on each side of the carriageway.

Are fewer lights demonstrably ineffective? Is there a real cost-benefit? Or are people in Whitehall just covering their backsides so that if there's an accident at one of these locations they can say 'Well there was abolutely no question that the lights weren't visible'?

Of course, these multiple in-yer-face lights are of the latest, brightest LED kind - the sort, actually, that when you approach them at night, are almost painful to look at. The glare puts the rest of the road scene in relative shadow, making any hazard that might be there dificult to spot. Anything that distracts attention, especially at night, making the job of driving more difficult, cannot be be a good thing. Unless it's what's called progress these days.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Mon 17 Mar 2008 11:46

Traffic lights/signals - audi dave

IF you can't sleep at night, try:

TA 84/06 "Traffic signs and lighting. Traffic signals and control equipment. Code of practice for traffic control and information systems for all-purpose roads (includes correction dated February 2007)"

Available at www.highways.gov.uk

Look up "doing Business with us/technical information/design manual for roads and bridges\volume 8\section 1 part 2"

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Mon 17 Mar 2008 14:06

Traffic lights/signals - Mad Maxy

Thanks, Audi Dave. Zzzzzzzzzzz...

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Mon 17 Mar 2008 14:16

Traffic lights/signals - Markoose

Where abouts are you talking about regarding the new lights in Aylesbury? I drive through there every day. I know they've replaced a fairly big roundabout (at junction of buckingham road, elmhurst road and weedon road) with lights, which seemed odd. Only bit that I find a real nightmare is the roundabout where bicester road meets gatehouse road and weedon road. I don't think it's laid out very well and one lane of traffic flows too quickly onto the roundabout blocking people from the other lanes from joining. I've almost had an accident on that roundabout on two occasions and seen a few others make the same mistake where so many people don't indicate when entering the roundabout that it gets confusing and you can end up pulling out in front of a car that then swings round unexpectedly. Another annoying thing that Aylesbury has I have seen elsewhere too, is put zebra crossings next to roundabouts so that you have to assess both the traffic on the roundabout and whether there is a hard-to-see pedestrian about to step out in front of you as you leave the roundabout at the same time, talk about multi-tasking.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Mon 17 Mar 2008 18:27

Traffic lights/signals - Mad Maxy

In Aylesbury I'm thinking of the stretch from the Walton St/Equitable Life roundabout along to the roundabout near B&Q. But actually the road from the Gatehouse Rd/Oxford Rd junction past the bus station to Walton St has been re-engineered - bus lanes and traffic signals aplenty...

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Ask Honest John

Sell Your Car

Real MPG

Fuel Calculator