The traffic lights in Ventnor town centre were replaced a few months back.
OnTheWight is pleased to report that they are now delivering a considerable benefit to the town’s folk and motorists alike.
Although the time to replace the lights took far longer than anyone in town could figure out, it certainly was worth the wait.
Sensors
The new set of lights has sensors built into them that sense if there are cars approaching or waiting. If they’re detected, the lights change in their favour, letting the cars continue without having to pause at the junction.
The upshot of this is that traffic passes through the town more smoothly and isn’t forced to wait at a red light, even when there isn’t traffic coming from the other direction.
Less waiting
Less traffic hanging around in the town and therefore less pollution being emitted from the vehicles while they’re pointlessly waiting.
This in no way disadvantages the pedestrian, the ‘press the button to stop the traffic’ seems to function just as well as before.
Bonus
A welcome bonus is that partially-sighted people or the hard of hearing have a physical indicator underneath the push button unit that spins, making it clear to them when the light have changed in their favour for crossing.
Island Roads are carrying out a programme of replacing 80 sets of traffic lights across the Island.
They told OnTheWight:
“We are pleased that the new lights in Ventnor High Street are having the desired effect of improving safe traffic flows through the town.
“They were installed as part of an ongoing Island-wide programme to replace 80 traffic signals, including those at pedestrian crossings.
“The new crossing at Ventnor, in common with the other upgraded crossings elsewhere, use new sensors that are better able to reconcile the needs of pedestrians crossing the road with the need to maintain traffic flows.
“Each upgraded site is also redesigned to meet current standards, with minor changes being made at locations as appropriate.”
