Letter: Council has created problem with proliferation of lights
Several years ago I told Telford Council, both the Highways Portfolio holder and the Highways Department, that the proliferation of traffic lights in Telford was causing a significant number of motorists to jump the lights or become "amber gamblers" when the lights change as they approach them – even going through on red.
One could even see motorists speed up when the lights changed to amber – intent on going through whatever colour the lights were.
I can never condone jumping traffic lights – which is not only unlawful but can be very dangerous.
However, I could see that it is very annoying to keep on being stopped by traffic lights on journeying within the town – especially when stopped on a main road at a non-busy time to let one car out of a side turning.
I suggested some lights were not required in the place where they were and many of the lights could be turned off outside peak traffic time. However, the council would not agree.
There was a suggestion a while back to make some lights part-time but nothing has come of it.
Now the council has put out a sign at Trench Lock (one of the worst designed traffic roundabouts I can think of!) reminding motorists that red means stop.
What a forlorn hope the council has. It will not work. Impatient drivers will jump the lights and there is nothing to stop them. There are no general patrolling police to catch errant motorists and putting CCTV on every traffic light is not very practical. One part of the problem is that now motorists have learned they can jump lights with almost complete impunity they will continue to do so.
The council has made a problem which is almost impossible to solve.
Richard Camp, Wellington
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