Traffic light timing

RATM · 07-11-2012 4:43pm #1

Just wondering what body is responsible for the timing of lights in Dublin?
And do they accept suggestions for improvement and act on them? There's several traffic lights I go through every day at night time that remain red for up to three minutes while there isn't an ounce of traffic passing the way the green light is on. It seems daft to have lights on 2-3 minute cycles late at night, having them on 30 second cycles would be more appropiate as there is a lot less traffic after 8pm and the long intervals only serve to slow down what otherwise would be free moving traffic.

I'm sure it is not just my journey that this occurs on, it must be all over the city that traffic lights are inadequately timed to reflect lesser numbers on the roads.

yer man! · 07-11-2012 4:56pm

RATM wrote: »

Just wondering what body is responsible for the timing of lights in Dublin?
And do they accept suggestions for improvement and act on them? There's several traffic lights I go through every day at night time that remain red for up to three minutes while there isn't an ounce of traffic passing the way the green light is on. It seems daft to have lights on 2-3 minute cycles late at night, having them on 30 second cycles would be more appropiate as there is a lot less traffic after 8pm and the long intervals only serve to slow down what otherwise would be free moving traffic.

I'm sure it is not just my journey that this occurs on, it must be all over the city that traffic lights are inadequately timed to reflect lesser numbers on the roads.

Local county/city council roads dept would be a good place to start I's say. Galway is just as bad, loads of the traffic intersections are very restrictive on what manoeuvres are allowed simultaneously. They only seem to get the timing correct in the really high volume intersections, the less busy ones are forgotten about.

ballooba · 07-11-2012 5:06pm

30 seconds? Most Irish drivers wouldn't have put their picnic away in that time never mind put the car in gear. You're dreaming!

07-11-2012 6:36pm

Dodgy sensors are another issue and no amount of calls to the council seems to make any difference.

thomasj · 07-11-2012 7:13pm

What is really annoying is the amount of time it takes drivers sometimes to respond to lights. As said above it could be the gearstick but then its with people distracted or putting makeup on etc.

Then there are some junctions that are redicilously bad. The one the James Joyce bridge springs to mind. You come up to the luas junction and the lights change when a luas arrives but also for cars and pedestrians seperate to this. You'll find that the lights at the bridge will go green as this junction goes red and by the time this junction goes green the other goes red! You can throw in the fact that they have now installed speed cameras at that spot.

pclive · 07-11-2012 7:15pm

Buttonftw what junctions are you talking about? any examples?

Victor · 07-11-2012 8:44pm

RATM wrote: »

Just wondering what body is responsible for the timing of lights in Dublin?

The city coucil. However, they aren't quite timed - they are demand responsive.

And do they accept suggestions for improvement and act on them?

traffic@dublincity.ie

There's several traffic lights I go through every day at night time that remain red for up to three minutes while there isn't an ounce of traffic passing the way the green light is on. It seems daft to have lights on 2-3 minute cycles late at night, having them on 30 second cycles would be more appropiate as there is a lot less traffic after 8pm and the long intervals only serve to slow down what otherwise would be free moving traffic.

I'm sure it is not just my journey that this occurs on, it must be all over the city that traffic lights are inadequately timed to reflect lesser numbers on the roads.

At quiet times, there will be a green light on the main road - go over Rathmines bridge after about 7pm and all you will see is green lights as far as Tesco. On the side roads, the response time to traffic arriving should then be very low and such traffic should get a green light within 10-15 seconds. Problems arise when the sensors used to detect traffic don't work - typically these are an induction loop (a rectangular pattern cut in the road surface) or a light sensor (typically mounted on the nearest traffic light pole). One or both sensors may not be working. However, do make sure that you are tripping these sensors - make sure you drive into the patterned area and have your headlights on.

ajjmk · 07-11-2012 11:21pm

Dublin City Council Traffic Control Centre is in charge. It's located in the council offices in Christchurch.
Contact details are on this page http://www.dublincity.ie/RoadsandTraffic/Traffic/pages/trafficupdates.aspx

07-11-2012 11:29pm

pclive wrote: »

Buttonftw what junctions are you talking about? any examples?

Not Dublin.

Chris_5339762 · 08-11-2012 9:30am

ajjmk wrote: »

Dublin City Council Traffic Control Centre is in charge. It's located in the council offices in Christchurch.
Contact details are on this page http://www.dublincity.ie/RoadsandTraffic/Traffic/pages/trafficupdates.aspx

Thanks for that.. might contact them about some truely daft light timings in Dublin. Some sets of lights with side roads that sit waiting when they could easily install a filter that would not alter traffic flow on any of the other routes...

ajjmk · 08-11-2012 12:01pm

Chris_5339762 wrote: »

Thanks for that.. might contact them about some truely daft light timings in Dublin. Some sets of lights with side roads that sit waiting when they could easily install a filter that would not alter traffic flow on any of the other routes...

Well they give a lot of red time to side roads to try to encourage more people to use the main road alternative.

But if you give them a ring you'll get through immediately to whoever is in charge at that time.

Tarabuses · 08-11-2012 2:40pm

ajjmk wrote: »

Dublin City Council Traffic Control Centre is in charge. It's located in the council offices in Christchurch.
Contact details are on this page http://www.dublincity.ie/RoadsandTraffic/Traffic/pages/trafficupdates.aspx

I presume this doesn't cover Dun Laoghaire Rathdown?

lil5 · 08-11-2012 2:57pm

Tarabuses wrote: »

I presume this doesn't cover Dun Laoghaire Rathdown?

See 'Roads Traffic' dept on DLR contact details website -
http://www.dlrcoco.ie/contactus/contactdetails/

charlemont · 08-11-2012 3:10pm

Personally I find the lights in the Dublin city council area to have fairly good sequencing and lane markings than the stinking mess that Cork city council have created down here.

Yea Some slow cúnts taking off at the lights,
This morning at the junction of Farranlea Road and Model Farm Road I was in a queue of about 5 cars, There was a lady in a jeep ahead of me and we waited about 3 and a half mins for the greens so then the first 3 cars took off and the jeep drove on and pulled to a stop right at the lights (still green), I was amazed to see a young girl get out of the jeep !!!

So I had to wait another 4 mins for the greens, What kind of ignoramous cow would actually do that ?? , Her girl could easily have got out while we were waiting in the queue.

Traffic light timing

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