That car accident the other week....

[Workingman]

There has been another at the same junction which uses adaptive traffic lights as opposed to the normal timed version.

I went to the supermarket earlier today and the main lights had hoods over them and temporary ones were in place - the control box was being worked on.

When they work they work well, when they don't it's a different matter.

[Kaz]

They sound quite dangerous

[Workingman]

Kaz, they actually work extremely well - when operating correctly.

The junction concerned had huge tailbacks during the busier periods as it is only one of two out of a large housing area with a shopping centre.

The first set of lights were timed and that often left periods when cars on the main road sat at red with no cars coming out of the junction, or cars waiting to get out when the main road was only lightly used.

The adaptive lights cured that... until they went wrong. I think part of the problem is that people see a green light as 'good to go' - regardless - whereas the Highway Code advises to 'proceed with caution'.