Town End Traffic Lights, Pontefract

Pontefract is a town of about 32,000 inhabitants on the eastern edge of industrial West Yorkshire (and the western edge of agricultural East Yorkshire). On the south-western edge of the town centre, the two main roads, the A 645 (East-West) and A 639 (North-South) cross, at 'Town End' (fig 1). Between about the 29th October and Christmas 1996 the intersection of these roads was re-structured, when a pair of roundabouts and zebra crossings were removed and replaced by a system of traffic lights and pelican crossings.

The installation of the lights created some disquiet amongst those who pass through them. In 2000 the author published a report illustrating an increase in accidents both at the site and in Pontefract in general since the installation of the lights.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Pontefract
• Traffic
• Lights
• Town
• End
• Steve
• Kidd

[gavrh900]

i was a taxi driver in ponte for 10 years and think it works a lot better than two roundabouts at least now everybody has a chance to move,you get rush hours in every town and city,if you cared to drive round ponte for 10 hours or more a day you would see how they do work,on an evening you can go straight through them as the senser work great,stop being impatient and dont drive in rush hour traffic

[sjmKidd]

According to The West Yorkshire accident Database casualty costs have risen by @ £2 million a year, over and above expectations given national trends since the lights were installed. My research indicates that 100% of Taxi Drivers think they don't work. It can take 6 minutes for a pedestrian to walk 15 yards. Sorry for my impatience, I just hate casualties.

[drunkspillage]

Nice try, but did you edit it on the back of a mountain bike going over the cobbles?

[sjmKidd]

Yes - some of the film in Holland was taken on a folding bike on cobbles, I'm not sure if any got onto this edit. Good spot

[higz2006]

I install traffic lights and to be honest mate why dont you just talk to wakefield utc department and if they agree with you they could look at putting different software in the controller, traffic lights with crossings are put up to help pedestrians not motorists, so your fighting a losing battle

[sjmKidd]

All I want to do is reduce casualties (I am not your 'mate').

I may be fighting a losing battle - OK, but, what is more important, fighting the good fight and perhaps losing or acquiescing to evil?

Town End lights do not help pedestrians.

At the last two meetings/drop ins/consultations WMDC were not prepared to talk about the lights.

Get a name

Steve Kidd, Rookhill Road, Pontefract

[BollJodie]

hey steve its jodie who use to sing at chequers, everyone here whos said that your fighting a loosing battle, technically your not and you wasnt because whats happened 2 years later. WHERE HAVING A ROUNDABOUT BUILT BACK THERE!

oh so i think you won that battle, it just took time and pacience! WELL DONE TO YOU FOR STICKING IT OUT! x

[erictheviking871]

fucking hell,wakefield council using an old thing called common sense,NO CHANCE. WASTE MONEY,GIVE EVERYBODY WHAT NOBODY WANTS.WDC ARE GREAT AT THIS.

[brittania1974]

why would anyone who lives in Pontefract be in such a rush to go any place? christ why not worry about something important? how about cancer or aids? what a waste of energy on traffic lights.

[affluenceclm]

If you are one of many ppl who can't get enough traffic to their site,The GAS system is the best overall,It is the easiest to install for beginners and ppl with no programming knowledge,GAS-AFFILIATEdotCOM is where to get it.

[cybemauler]

lmao, 'traffic light?' GUY:'SHIT'

[zTroNiiKz]

i live in ponte its a shit hole !

[waterlj1]

and instead of changing the lights they should put up read light cameras to let everyone get there turn to cross at there time to stop grid lock and red light jumping as for pedestrians there are alternative signals ahead designed for the use of pedestrians or why dont they just put a round about back there with pedstrian crossing leading off every turn then there is only a short que and both drivers and pedestrians are happy. this method is used at the roundabout in wakefield now outside KFC

[ChelseeLouisee]

It is noisy i live just 2 minutes away. All you can here if the roads are busy is sirens & my dad gets stuck in them every morning taking me to school