Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the feasibility of introducing a flashing amber sequence at certain traffic lights in off-peak hours.

The Department has no plans to introduce flashing amber at junctions.

The Department commissioned a research project looking into ways of making signals operate more efficiently at quiet times. The report is available at www.gov.uk/government/publications/operation-of-traffic-signals-during-low-demand-periods.

The research reviewed practice in other countries, including the use of flashing amber overnight. It found countries that use this system are moving away from it and that introducing it led to an increased risk of accidents.

There are numerous locations where traffic light signals are only in operation at peak times- for example on roundabouts.