Traffic Lights on the Motorway?

[Busman747]

I have just been down the M6 and noticed that there are traffic lights albeit covered, on the sliproads of J's 22 & 23.

I read somewhere last month that someone had a brainwave and suggested holding up the traffic feeding onto the motorway during peak hours - and it looks like it is coming to fruition, but is it a brilliant scheme or will it cause mayhem?

For the traffic already on the motorway, I am sure that there will be a slight benefit but I can see local traffic backing up to and past the roundabouts that feed the slip roads preventing vehicles from travelling over or under the motorway on the ajoining roads

[SPUGGIE J]

Try the traffic lights at the Newbridge roundabout for size. M8 M9 junction that is abnsolute chaos at rush hour.

[Neil]

I have seen them as well. They seem very close to the actual motorway. So when they change to green you wont have much time to accelerate before you have to get of the slip road. I always thought the idea of the slip road was to allow you to reach the same speed as the cars in the 1st lane. I think it will cause accidents when slow cars are pulling into lane 1 forcing other cars to move into lane 2.

[Gayle]

Shock horror here but I actually agree with Neil. This can't be right, a subject we agree on!

But, it seems to me that traffic lights are completely opposite to what a motorway sliproad is for.

[K.S.H]

They already use them on the M6 at junction 10, they dont work in my opinion
They only become active when the motorway is busy

[chav1]

theyhave them on roundabouts and they are bloody confusing so it wouldnt surprise me if we saw traffic lights on teh motor way lol

[Madhatter]

They do work, they've been on slips down here for years, although KSH is right in saying they only come on when it's really slow traffic, which is why they do work.

I've just realised, you could be getting the wrong idea, when he says traffic lights on the motorway, he means JUST on the SLIP not on the motorway. It's not your the slips turn, then the motorways turn, it's just stop go for the slip, it stops a constant flow off the slip, pushing in, and stopping the motorway traffic. I think it works, but it's benefit is small.

[Neil]

Originally Posted by chav1

theyhave them on roundabouts and they are bloody confusing so it wouldnt surprise me if we saw traffic lights on teh motor way lol

You are only a young and inexperianced driver my son. When you are old and wise like me you will understand that red means stop and green means go.

[chav1]

Originally Posted by Neil

You are only a young and inexperianced driver my son. When you are old and wise like me you will understand that red means stop and green means go.

excuse me but i have conquered all teh ridge racer series and colin mcra series plus many other games including pole position

much experience i have

[jambutty]

I’ve just become the thirteenth voter – aaaaaaaaaaaarghhh! Throw me a black cat someone.

I wonder if the bright spark whom thought up this daft scheme really thought things through? I guess not.

If the nearside lane is nose to tail with traffic during peak hours, a traffic light is not going to alleviate the situation. In fact as some responders have already pointed out it will just create a jam on the road feeding the slip road.

red means stop and green means go.

Thanks for clearing that up Neil. Now all you have to do is convince some 50% of drivers that red doesn’t mean “I can just get through even if it means other traffic having to break hard to avoid hitting me. Yeee Ha! I’ve saved 15 seconds.”
I would also point out to those drivers who don’t seem to have a clue what the traffic lights mean, that amber, or orange if you like, also means stop if it is safe to do so (meaning that no one will re-arrange your rear end if you do stop) otherwise go ahead with caution. It does not mean accelerate and hope to get across.

[Madhatter]

Of course they've thought it through, they've had years to test it too, they've been on birminghams slips for over ten years. Aparently if the traffic is let on in bunches instead of a car every few seconds then it keeps the traffic flowing. How can it create mayhem? the traffics got to be slow for them to be switched on, the traffic lights at worst will make no difference.

[Busman747]

Originally Posted by Madhatter

How can it create mayhem?

The "mayhem" is not happening on the motorway, it will be happening on the roads leading up to the slip roads. Stationary cars sitting on an A road WILL cause mayhem!

[Busman747]

Here is J 23, Madhatter, WHERE is the waiting traffic going to wait?

[katex]

Well, always seemed pretty reasonable to me. The A680 is a dual carriageway so traffic not wishing to join the motorway can still proceed for a 'short time only' single file in the outside lane at an acceptable speed, without drivers hopping in and out of lanes. Also, we are not aware of the timing of these lights, how long they are on red, and how many cars it would entail being brought to a halt for this duration. I'm confident that the surveys included this information so as not to have to big a build up. In the meantime, would allow a little more flow on the M6 at peak times.

I voted no, but misunderstood the question. Found driving on some dual carriageways in America, for instance, that lights were placed across fast flowing roads and thought this pretty dangerous, as just built up your speed and oh hek, another set of lights to allow traffice to cross or enter the main carriageway. Maybe this was because used to driving on UK roads where we are given preference over traffic entering.

[wozaup]

Interesting.... I think ive seen these traffic lights they are the junction before Dunkenhalgh coming from Blackburn, they are covered up aswell... I actually thought i was seeing things. Obviously Blackburn must of had a bit of the budget left over for last year so instead of spending it on a mini roundabout they have put lights up on a slip road leading to a motorway, hmmmm i wonder how many people are gonna actually take notice of them when they are working?

As it is common knowledge that a slip road is to get upto speed with the motorway to stop accidents not cause them, i wonder how many people are going to get shunted from behind before they actually decide to get rid of the things.

Another thing Speed cameras now ive counted 26 in Blackburn that has to be a record! i hate the dam things we should rebel and do what Gordon Ramsey and Jeremy "im so old fashioned " Clarkson said! Ramsey on speed cameras " best way to get away without being caught on a camera, wrap cling film around it! this way when it takes a pic it the flash will rebound on itself blurring the pic" or the Clarkson method " expandable foam in the hole round the back, watch it fall apart infront of you" lol a few tips