PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC LIGHTS

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27426, 12 August 1954, Page 7

PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC LIGHTS

Sir, —On the traffic signals controlling pedestrians in the city, “Cross now” arid “Don’t cross” are forthright enough injunctions; but in between there are protracted intervals of muteness, during which pedestrians hover on the brink hopefully, hesitantly, or impatiently, while now and again one, bolder than the rest, takes courage in both feet and plunges into the unknown. What is the correct procedure during these periods—to use one’s common sense and cross when there is obviously nothing more lethal than a bicycle within 100 yards or so; or to remain timelessly inert until galvanised into activity by the summons of the robot to “Cross now.”—Yours, etc., M.T. July 19, 1954.

[The Town Clerk (Mr H. S. Feast) answered this letter as follows: “Pedestrian lights are, as far as possible, co-ordinated with the green, red, and amber lights controlling vehicular traffic with the following variations: (1) At the High, Colombo, arid Hereford streets intersection, where there is not a ‘Don’t Cross’ pedestrian sign, the ‘Cross Now* sign does not show while the amber phase is showing on the vehicular light; and,, in addition, the east-to-west pedestrian light ■ does not show until some eight seconds after the green north-to-south vehicle light comes on. The latter variation is designed to allow traffic which may have entered the intersection to get clear before pedestrians endeavour to cross. (2) At the High, Manchester, and Lichfield streets Intersection, where both ‘Cross Now’ and ‘Don’t Cross’ pedestrian signs are installed, neither sign shows while the amber vehicular sign is showing. Unfortunately, it is technically impossible to link the ‘Don't Cross’ sign with the amber vehicular phase. However, neither vehicular nor pedestrian traffic should enter an intersection while an amber light is showing, so that pedestrians should crtfes only when the sign says ‘.Cross NowV’l