“Over complicated” traffic lights have been described as “very dangerous” to drivers. 

Author Paul McNeive was driving from the Dublin suburb of Killiney to the nearby junction with Ballybrack when he noticed the traffic light system had been re-designed since he was last there. 

“They had built a new set of lights because they built a new cycle lane and more room for pedestrians - that’s fine,” he told The Pat Kenny Show.  

“I had a full green, or so I thought, at the last second I realised the lights were red. 

“I braked, stopped just in time but the car in the lane beside me, 20 yards behind me, didn’t stop, kept going straight through the light.” 

Commuters in Dublin. 26/01/2022. Image: Sam Boal / RollingNews.ie

Previously, there had been a green filter arrow that would indicate when cars turning left could drive on.  

However, during the redesign, the green filter arrow was moved over to the right hand side of the junction - despite the fact that its role is still to inform people when they can drive left.  

Mr McNeive had thought it was there to indicate that he should drive ahead - and he was not the only driver to make that mistake. 

“People were routinely driving through that junction on full red,” he said. 

“I went back the next day, I was so amazed and I saw another car drive through.” 

'A recipe for disaster'

He reported the issue to Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown Council and they moved the light - but have not committed to changing all traffic light systems laid out in such a way. 

“They are persisting with the design,” he said. 

“In Cherrywood, for example, there’s a new junction built which has the same design. 

“They argue it’s not as dangerous, I think it’s dangerous… They’re putting these lights on the right-hand side, which to a driver, those arrows, particularly in the dark, they look like a full green. 

“If the main lights are red, they’ve got a full green on the left, a full green on the right, a recipe for disaster.” 

Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown Council has been contacted for comment.

Main image: Traffic lights. Picture by: Alamy.com