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Councilors criticize ‘inhuman’ traffic lights

From right to left, Taipei City councilors Chien Yu-yien, Chen Chien-min and Lee Ching-feng yesterday play video clips of traffic lights signaling red for more than 100 seconds in Taipei City during a press conference at the city council. PHOTO: CNA

Several Taipei City councilors blasted city traffic lights yesterday, claiming that they were operated in an “inhuman” way, as half of the devices in the capital signal red for at least 100 seconds, forcing people to breathe exhaust fumes as they wait for the lights to change.

City Councilors Chien Yu-yien (簡余晏), Chen Chien-min (陳建銘) and Lee Ching-feng (李慶鋒) criticized what they described as the “inefficiency” of the city’s traffic signals at a press conference at the City Council, with Chien pointing out that 1,026 of the 2,184 sets of traffic lights in the city have “a long red light,” while 42 of them force motorists to wait for at least three minutes during rush hour.

On the intersection of Mengjia Boulevard (艋舺大道) and Siyuan Road (西園路), people must wait long enough for the intersection to remain clear of traffic for “a while,” to get a green light, Chien said.

She said one taxi driver had complained that the traffic lights on Songkao Road (松高路) behind the City Council remain red for so long that his fare meter increases three times in a single traffic light cycle.

Chien said Germans tolerate red lights for a maximum of 60 seconds, while she claimed that the maximum time in Britain was 45 seconds.

In comparison, it was “inhuman” for road users in Taipei to have to wait at least 100 seconds before they could cross the road, Chien said.

Lee Kung-chen (李昆振), the city official responsible for traffic control, explained that signals were based on traffic load and pedestrian safety. Their operations were adjusted to different timings on different intersections, road sections and districts.

Lee said the longer signals were mostly on intersections with heavy traffic flows. Timing the lights for shorter periods would result in traffic gridlock, he said.

He said the city traffic control department would conduct an overall check of traffic signals next year and that the study results would be used as reference for a possible adjustment to traffic light operations around the city.
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