The number of ‘unnecessary’ traffic lights in Dublin are making journeys far longer and adding to congestion in the city.
On Lunchtime Live this afternoon, listener Brian said he passes through 22 sets of traffic in his 2km journey through south Dublin every day.
He said around half of the lights are “not needed at all” and the constant stoppages can make his journey up to five times longer than it needs to be.
“If the lights are red - which most of them are - it’s taking me 25 to 30 minutes to get over,” he said.
“Half of these are not needed at all, mini roundabouts are what they need but sitting there at a traffic light, there’s nothing coming… and all of a sudden, the pedestrian lights just change.
“Again, you’re just sitting there, you’re burning unnecessary fuel - it’s just madness.”
A green man traffic light in Dublin city, 2-11-18. Image: Sam Boal/RollingNews.ieBrian said excessive traffic lights are not just an issue in Ballyfermot but something he sees right across Dublin.
“When I go up to Rathfarnham, there’s a tiny small housing estate and they have a set of traffic lights there,” he said.
“Whoever it is, just seems to be saying, ‘Ah yeah, just stick a set of traffic lights. There’s another junction, just throw another pair there as well.’
Brian said other countries do not have the same concentration of traffic lights in their cities.
“My brother-in-law, he’s from Italy and he said over in Italy, traffic lights between noon and morning time will go to just a flashing amber,” he said.
“Why can’t the council do that [here]? Then they go back to being fully operational around 8 in the morning.”
Failure to obey a traffic light can mean two penalty points on a driver’s licence and a €120 or five penalty points and a fine on conviction.
Main image: Bike traffic lights on the Quays in Dublin | Image: Sam Boal
