Advertisement

Junctions need traffic signals

Reading Time:2 minutes
Why you can trust SCMP
0

In advocating the use of roundabouts as cheap and efficient traffic management measures, your correspondent Ross Mitchell (South China Morning Post, November 22) falls into the trap of ignoring one of the principal road users - the pedestrian.

Signal-controlled junctions not only regulate the flow of traffic and reduce conflicting movements but also, by including pedestrian phases, they may allow for the safe and orderly crossing of otherwise dangerous roads by the road user on foot.

Having said that, I actually agree with Mr Mitchell that a relatively lightly trafficked junction such as that at Chung Hom Kok appears to be an ideal candidate for a mini-roundabout, but his raising of the subject is a convenient conduit to my own pet hobby horse.

Two road junctions which have been ignored thus far by the traffic signal lobby, but which are nevertheless screaming for some form of signal control, are the uncontrolled junctions of Shan Kwong Road with each end of Village Road in Happy Valley.

At the northern junction just outside the Hong Kong Sanatorium the right turn from Village Road into Shan Kwong Road is virtually impossible at certain times of the day (without causing an obstruction), because of the phasing of the signals at both Yik Yam Street and at Wong Nai Chung Road.

Traffic signals, carefully integrated with those at adjacent junctions, are essential at this location.

Advertisement