So, Has anyone else wondered what the point of these are. They are part-time signals that exist to control the flow of traffic onto the motorway.
They started working this week (junction 7) and are a complete waste of time (IMHO)
They turn to Red, for about 30-40 seconds, then change to Green for approx 5-6 Seconds, then straight back to red
I had 5 cars in front of me and it took 3 phases to get onto the motorway.
It increases fuel consumption (several quick accelerations), and my stress!!!
Did we ask for these? Was there public consultation?
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They have been installed on the M1 around Sheffield.
Can think of several reasons why they make sense. Stopping traffic when the road is blocked due to an accident/incident. Holding traffic in an orderly queue when motorway is overloaded.
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I have noticed these on the M4 too. They are on the M6 in the Midlands but couldnt say whether they work or not.
Its a shame the authorities cannot design a device that teaches people how to drive properly on motorways, i.e. dont join the middle lane club, use your mirrors, dont tailgate and dont rubberneck accidents then cause another one yourself.
Then motorways would run much smoother and we wouldnt need these traffic signals.....
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These are common in Holland on motorways near dormitory towns. It is to allow the motorway to be drip fed so it can maintain its flow and not be brought to a halt by a deluge down the sliproad.
The lighting timing is of course the whole point; to allow normally only one car at a time. The dutch ones have an explanitory sign to indicate this.
Once you've done it once or twice you can anticipate the sequence, relax and trickle up to it when its your turn.
They do work (if set up correctly) to increase the overall flow of cars per hour (but not yours)!
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The official explanation from the HA:
www.highways.gov.uk/knowledge/17308.aspx
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A great idea - and one that Edinburgh City Council should adopt for the slip roads on to the 2-lane A720 city bypass where the traffic simply comes to a stand-still due to joining motorists thinking they have the right of way to enter the nearside lane, forcing drivers on th emain highway to move to the already overcrowded outside lane. Result - was driving at 60mph, now 3mph for the next mile, then back up to 60mph when things get sorted out.
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Then the same at the next junction from my experience a couple of years ago... A wonder of modern planning, that ringroad!
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I use M6 J25 most days of the week - we've had them there and on other junctions in the area for a year or so now, and my perception is that they have increased the length of queues on the slip roads and made no difference at all to traffic flow on the motorway.
I'd be really interested to see some hard figures, but I doubt they exist
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We have had these motorway access rationing lights for a few months around Auckland. They do speed up the motorways a bit, but the natives are becoming restless about the queues of idling traffic which did not used to be there in the streets leading to the slip roads.
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