Colin Buchanan report: Removing traffic lights at road junctions

Link to Colin Buchanan report (PDF)

"At a growing number of locations in mainland Europe, conventional traffic control principles are being challenged with the introduction of shared space, where sites previously regulated using automatic traffic control have had traffic lights removed and the junctions have been redesigned to create attractive public spaces that are destinations in their own right, with well publicised success. Yet, to date, the technical aspects of shared space have never been tested in a robust manner. To a lesser degree, the use of flashing amber signals (with scope to maintain pedestrian actuated crossing stages) is widely used to provide a part-time solution.

"With the prospect of inexpensive solutions to some of our road safety, congestion and sustainability problems, it is becoming a matter of urgency to determine whether or not removing traffic control regulations (in the form of conventional signals and priority rules), or disabling traffic signals for certain periods of the day, can bring economic, environmental, road safety, traffic management and sustainability benefits."

---

Link to web site

BBC: Viewpoint: 'Is it time to get rid of traffic lights?'

"The fatal flaw at the heart of the system is priority. Traffic lights are bad enough - they make us stop when we could go, they take our eyes off the road, flouting the most fundamental safety principle but they are only the symptom of a dysfunctional system.

"The unseen spanner in the works is the idea of main road priority. It was introduced in about 1929 when the authorities were trying to work out how to regulate the new form of locomotion - the motor car."