Roads: Traffic Lights Debate

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Department: Department for Transport

Roads: Traffic Lights

Lord Berkeley Excerpts
Monday 27th February 2012

(12 years, 6 months ago)

Lords Chamber
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Lord Berkeley Portrait Lord Berkeley
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My Lords, does the noble Earl agree that the main difference between the United States and here is that being a pedestrian is thoroughly discouraged in the US? You are supposed to drive around 50 yards if you have to and I do not think that there are any bicycles at all. Given that we have lots of pedestrians and a growing number of cyclists, does he agree that, if anyone is going to turn left on a red light, it would be much better if they were cyclists, if it is to be done carefully?

Earl Attlee Portrait Earl Attlee
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My Lords, noble Lords behind me are saying, “No way”, and I think they are right. There are already ways of giving cyclists priority over other traffic and improving their safety at junctions—for example, by introducing advance stop lines and cycle bypasses, and providing dedicated traffic signals for cyclists if required.