Green here but red there

[M1104]

Why are so many traffic lights programmed so that when you pass the green light to turn left you immediately come to a set on the same junction that are still red (or worse turning red). At some junctions you can't even legally move your vehicle because of the yellow Junction box and the cycle box before that.

Also, are there really that many traffic lights that give priority to buses....I mean traffic lights that are actually triggered by the buses? The only ones I can think of offhand are the set just before east Dulwich station going down dogs kennel hill.

Slightly drifting from the main subject, I have noticed that the latest design traffic lights are very similar looking to the ones I grew up with in the 70s. They even change quicker like the 1950/60's version, ie not so 'slow-motion' like.

[snoggle]

Jun 13, 2014 10:59:12 GMT M1104 said:

Why are so many traffic lights programmed so that when you pass the green light to turn left you immediately come to a set on the same junction that are still red (or worse turning red). At some junctions you can't even legally move your vehicle because of the yellow Junction box and the cycle box before that.

Also, are there really that many traffic lights that give priority to buses....I mean traffic lights that are actually triggered by the buses? The only ones I can think of offhand are the set just before east Dulwich station going down dogs kennel hill.

Slightly drifting from the main subject, I have noticed that the latest design traffic lights are very similar looking to the ones I grew up with in the 70s. They even change quicker like the 1950/60's version, ie not so 'slow-motion' like.

I'm not a traffic engineer but I think some of the traffic light issues are to do with how computers model traffic and pedestrian flow. There seems to be an assumption that allowing traffic to move, even slightly, is better than having it stand still while every last phase of other red lights clear. Some of that may be to allow pedestrians a last few seconds to get across a traffic lane.

Being the sad person I am I was looking at some old TfL Annual reports the other day and one from Ken L's era had a statement that over 500 sets of traffic lights had been modified that year to detect approaching buses and allow them through the junction. There was no total number given and what we do not know is whether Boris's revised approach to "smoothing traffic flow" and removing the old traffic hierarchy has meant some traffic light priority for buses has been removed. Of course, there have been no statements proudly stating bus priority at lights has been removed!

I get a slight sense that there is a realisation that "smoothing traffic flow" has damaged bus service reliability and meant far more curtailments. London Travelwatch have been quite critical of TfL and the Mayor over the closing down of the old Bus Priority Unit and it seems TfL are looking to restore that unit and they've found £200m over 10 years for more bus priority and "pinchpoint" removal.