'Magic' traffic lights scheme is put out to tender
MAGIC traffic lights could soon be installed in Scunthorpe as the council starts its search for a firm to install the system.
A tender for the £500,000 scheme, first announced last year, has gone out and will see commuter traffic eased at hotspots across the town.
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MOVING FORWARD: Drivers will spend less time in traffic queues
The magic lights use sensors to work out where traffic is heaviest and stop cars being stopped at red light after red light.
The Ashby Road corridor has been earmarked as a possible early site for the urban traffic control system.
Cabinet member for highways Cllr Bernard Regan said he had high hopes for the scheme.
He said: "The scheme has been very successful in most places where it has been implemented.
"Hopefully it's particularly relevant to Scunthorpe to allow the flow of traffic from north to south.
"The system can also allow emergency vehicles through automatically.
"It will relieve a lot of traffic issues in the town centre, particularly at peak times."
The system can detect which way the bulk of the traffic is heading at any moment.
It means the lights can automatically favour cars heading home or to work, depending on the time of day.
The system, which will take about four years to install, can also be tweaked to favour buses or pedestrians depending on the location and set up of the system.
Normal traffic lights work on a simple timing mechanism and take no account of the volume of traffic.
For the full story, buy today's Scunthorpe Telegraph.
5 Comments
by Thoades, sunny scunny
Sunday, August 23 2009, 10:22AM
“This is not true, we already have "Magic" traffic lights.
Admittedly its the set outside Pitwood house (Shock) but I do find it very handy once I've taken the do to the park, or if I want to nip down Bushfield Road then a quick left into Captain Kirks Kommand Bunker and the lights change in my favour as if by magic allowing me to go back the way I came without having to drive all the way down to howden hill roundabout.
You should try it - its magic!”
by Si Colist, Yaddlethorpe
Sunday, August 23 2009, 9:27AM
“It would be magic if the sensors picked up cyclist as they approached traffic lights, I've lost count the number of times I've had go through red lights at various traffic lights around the town simply because they don't sense cyclists.”
by bartonion, barton
Saturday, August 22 2009, 5:34PM
“Anything to do with controlling traffic and involving the idiots on NLC is bound to be one big disaster,look at what they did and propose to do at Berkley circle,(£100,000s)empty cycle paths,the "bus lane" and now the plan their implementing at Brittania corner and its going to cost another £500,000”
by Ron, Broughton
Saturday, August 22 2009, 4:12PM
“There's nothing 'magic' about it but for all the non-scientific twits working for the Telegraph it is known as modern technology.”
by bilun, northlincs
Saturday, August 22 2009, 9:48AM
“4 years and £500,000! Lets do what enlightened european's do and remove all the traffic lights.Allow traffic and pedestrians to move around freely,save a fortune too!”