Councillors get Action on Town Centre Traffic Lights
October 14, 2008 4:50 PM
Lib Dem councillors are hopeful that traffic light phasing will be improved
Local newspaper The Post has highlighted the dangers created by Epsom town centre traffic lights with a front page spread in their issue of 8th October. Cllrs Colin Taylor and Anna Jones had already complained to the Local Committee about pedestrian safety in the centre of Epsom.
Two sets of traffic lights near the Spread Eagle junction have long caused confusion because they change at very slightly different times.
Cllr Taylor (Stamford) said "The problem has been there for a long time but the lights used to change at the same time. Now the lights on the crossing go red sooner than at the Spread Eagle so it is very dangerous." Cllr Jones (College) said "People are coming across while pedestrians are crossing. Both think they're in the right. I was at the junction talking to one of the shopkeepers and there was a car coming across the lights and someone walking across. Both of them thought they were right and there was an argument. The man in the shop nearby says he sees it all day long"
The County Council is going to resolve the problem by putting shutters on the green signal at the Spread Eagle. Drivers won't be able to see them when drawn to a halt by a red light at the pedestrian crossing. Hopefully they won't then be tempted to jump the red light.