Traffic lights that are never not on green

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ellandback
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Traffic lights that are never not on green

Post by ellandback »

Some traffic lights, like the straight on arrow (left hand lane) here, are intentionally set so they are permanently on green. That's not what this thread is about.

This pelican crossing on the A629 spur road at Ainley Top was installed five years ago when the roundabout was widened. I drive through it most days at least once, and probably around 250 to 300 times a year on average, so let's say at least 1,250 times in total since it was installed. The road is rarely not busy. And yet I have never seen the crossing being used. For me, the lights have never not been on green.

Any similar examples of traffic lights you pass through frequently and could be asked to stop at, but never have?
Fenlander
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Re: Traffic lights that are never not on green

Post by Fenlander »

ellandback wrote: Mon Nov 05, 2018 13:42Any similar examples of traffic lights you pass through frequently and could be asked to stop at, but never have?
Can't think of any off the top of my head but there are some that make me stop when there's absolutely no reason to. This exit off the roundabout for example, the green arrow is only lit when the main light is red so every cycle you have to stop briefly for the amber light, there's no pedestrian crossing or anything to benefit from the pause.
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Tom Williams
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Re: Traffic lights that are never not on green

Post by Tom Williams »

These a crossing on the A465 on Belmont road Hereford
Here:https://earth.app.goo.gl/?apn=com.googl ... 1kVkFjdxAC
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Conekicker
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Re: Traffic lights that are never not on green

Post by Conekicker »

Many, many moons ago I was sent out to observe a pelican crossing to see how often it was used.

Three hours I sat there in the car. No prize for guessing how often it was used. In fact I saw less than half a dozen pedestrians in total and got comparatively excited every time one came into view, only to be disappointed.
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Brigham
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Re: Traffic lights that are never not on green

Post by Brigham »

Fenlander wrote: Mon Nov 05, 2018 16:04...the green arrow is only lit when the main light is red so every cycle you have to stop briefly for the amber light, there's no pedestrian crossing or anything to benefit from the pause.
That sounds like a fault to me; or possibly a wiring mistake when originally installed.
Might be worth pointing it out to the relevant authority.
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vlad
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Re: Traffic lights that are never not on green

Post by vlad »

From personal experience it's very rare you have to stop for these lights, so it amazes me that the Google car did.

The Council get their own back with the lights at the top of the hill, which always seem to be on red.
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Viator
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Re: Traffic lights that are never not on green

Post by Viator »

vlad wrote: Mon Nov 05, 2018 19:51 From personal experience it's very rare you have to stop for these lights, so it amazes me that the Google car did.

The Council get their own back with the lights at the top of the hill, which always seem to be on red.
They were on amber in 2009, though, and again in 2016 -- while the ones at the top of the hill were showing green on four out of five Google passes. The photo cars must come through at a different time of day from you!
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Chris Bertram
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Re: Traffic lights that are never not on green

Post by Chris Bertram »

M25 J11 at Addlestone, the turn-off for A320 Woking/Weybridge, is a two-bridge roundabout, but a relatively recent addition was left-turn filter lanes for the off-slips, by-passing the roundabout. Added at about the same time were traffic signals on every entry point - but they also put full RAG signals on the filter lanes. These *never* turn green, as there's not even a ped crossing to cause them to do so.
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Conekicker
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Re: Traffic lights that are never not on green

Post by Conekicker »

...and then there's the temporary 3-way set up just down the hill from home this weekend which weren't on green or red or amber, 'cos dey wuz busted. Not in the least bit chaotic. Nosireebob.
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haymansafc
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Re: Traffic lights that are never not on green

Post by haymansafc »

I honestly don't think I've ever seen these on the A5116 to be on anything other than green.

Even during peak periods...
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Re: Traffic lights that are never not on green

Post by darkcape »

A lot of new developments with signalised junctions sit on green for a few months until the development gets under way.

There s a set on the A4303 just before the M1, the new warehouse is complete but no tenant so the lights were on permanent green for the mainline. The only time I saw them change was when some numpty parked over the detector loop on the access to make a phone call, causing havoc to the mainline as the lights were changing every 20 seconds.

The new Everards development off the A563 in Leicester also is on green 99.9% of the time.

Both too new to be on Streetview
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tom66
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Re: Traffic lights that are never not on green

Post by tom66 »

Regarding the Ainley Top lights, there's an odd arrangement there where one signal on that pedestrian crossing appears to be reversed to warn traffic on the other side of an impending red signal (as you can't really see it until fully around the corner). It changes in line with the main set of lights. Are there any more arrangements like this? I wouldn't have thought it is a standard arrangement, the preferred arrangement being either improving visibility or moving the junction further forwards.
SussexMan
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Re: Traffic lights that are never not on green

Post by SussexMan »

This one is permanently green.

A25 westbound just west of Sevenoaks.

But maybe that doesn't fit your criteria.
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Re: Traffic lights that are never not on green

Post by brummie_rob »

vlad wrote: Mon Nov 05, 2018 19:51 From personal experience it's very rare you have to stop for these lights, so it amazes me that the Google car did.

The Council get their own back with the lights at the top of the hill, which always seem to be on red.
I disagree, those lights are always on red and annoyingly change when there is no traffic leaving the Norton estate. The sensors on these needs to be much better to allow traffic to flow on the main road better. They have just being replaced recently with new heads but they still seem to go to red whenever I approach.
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jervi
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Re: Traffic lights that are never not on green

Post by jervi »

Found one today.
A259 near Worthing
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@50.81957 ... 312!8i6656
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Re: Traffic lights that are never not on green

Post by Bfivethousand »

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jervi
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Re: Traffic lights that are never not on green

Post by jervi »

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@50.79885 ... 384!8i8192
Ahead and Left are always green with no stop line. Only right turns are controlled.
Surely there is a better way to design this junction!
Jonathan24
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Re: Traffic lights that are never not on green

Post by Jonathan24 »

jervi wrote: Thu Mar 04, 2021 22:40 https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@50.79885 ... 384!8i8192
Ahead and Left are always green with no stop line. Only right turns are controlled.
Surely there is a better way to design this junction!
It could always be done like this, but I don't think it is completely satisfactory either:

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@54.61219 ... 384!8i8192
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Re: Traffic lights that are never not on green

Post by sydneynick »

jervi wrote: Thu Mar 04, 2021 22:40 https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@50.79885 ... 384!8i8192
Ahead and Left are always green with no stop line. Only right turns are controlled.
Surely there is a better way to design this junction!
In Australia, we would not have the lights for ahead and left. There would be only the lights for the right turn, with all phases displaying an arrow. Approaching traffic would understand that a red arrow applies only to traffic turning right.
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the cheesecake man
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Re: Traffic lights that are never not on green

Post by the cheesecake man »

Jonathan24 wrote: Thu Mar 04, 2021 23:38 It could always be done like this, but I don't think it is completely satisfactory either:
This and this seem the right way to do such things. No traffic lights or stop line for the unconflicted manoeuvre with the pedestrian crossing on that move separated.
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