Home | About | City Hall | Contact | FAQ | Help | Jobs | Site map
| Home | About | City Hall | Contact | FAQ | Help | Jobs | Site map
|
| London Life | | | Mayor of London | | | London Assembly | | | Media Centre |
Press Release A few less lights could be good for London A new report from the Greater London Authority supports the Mayor of London’s traffic policies by concluding that traffic flow could be smoothed and London's economy could benefit from switching off or removing some traffic lights. The study, by GLA Economics, explored the economic impact of some of London’s traffic lights. It was limited to five junctions judged to represent two thirds of London’s junctions with lights. But it concluded that, if safety tests permitted, in some areas traffic flow could be smoothed and financial benefits would result from taking lights out of service. Initial discussions have taken place between Transport for London and boroughs about whether traffic signals can safely be removed from some borough roads to improve traffic flow and without affecting pedestrians. The GLA economics report adds weight to these discussions and to the Mayor’s drive to review the phasing of every set of traffic lights in the capital to ensure they are as efficient as possible. The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said: “Traffic lights play an important part in our work to keep traffic flowing in the capital. And since taking office my team and TfL have worked like trojans to ensure that London’s lights are made as efficient as possible. But there is surely not a single Londoner who has waited at a red light at two in the morning on a deserted street and wondered why on earth they are being delayed. “We need to explore all options to smooth the flow of traffic, which is why TfL is speaking to boroughs about whether - subject to rigorous research on the safety of pedestrians and other road users - there might be a case to remove them. The conclusion of the GLA Economics report that this could also bring financial benefits to London adds weight to those discussions.” The report into the economic impact of traffic signals was officially launched at a City Hall seminar today (18 November) to discuss traffic lights in the capital. Ends Notes to Editors · A representative sample of approximately two thirds of the 2,500 road junctions in the capital was assessed for the GLA Economics study. · Five junctions were chosen. They were: A section of the Edgware Road covering seven separate junctions · A computer simulation of the junctions used established driver behaviour and car following theories to predict vehicle movements. · According to the report, computer simulations of five junctions in the capital demonstrated that at most times of day traffic lights play an important role. However simulations also showed that at certain times of day there would be some benefit to not having lights. · The Mayor has also asked TfL to introduce a technology called SCOOT to 1,000 sets of lights, which allows the lights to adjust their own timings in response to traffic conditions. · Ealing Borough Council has proposed two traffic signal sites to be switched off on a temporary basis to assess the effects on both vehicles and pedestrians. · The first site is Western Road/Montague Waye, which will be switched out and bagged over by the end of November 2009. A mini roundabout and pedestrian refuges will be installed. · The second site is Gunnersbury Lane/Bollo Lane, outside Acton Town tube station, which will be switched off and bagged over by the end of November 2009. There will be a mini roundabout and a zebra crossing installed. · The trial sites are due to operate for 6 months but this is subject to review. · A full copy of the GLA economics report is available from Jonathan Edwards in the Mayor's Press Office on the numbers below.
|
|
| Top of page | Home | About | City Hall | Contact | FAQ | Help | Jobs | Site map |
