Smart lights offer easy ride

SMART traffic lights that will always turn green at the right time are to be trialled on Britain’s roads, Highways England has announced.

The lights will tell drivers the speed they should use to arrive at the next set of lights when they switch to green.

The concept is one of five shortlisted entries in a competition hosted by the National Infrastructure Commission, Highways England and Innovate UK to create roads for driverless cars. The scheme, designed by engineering firm AECOM in an attempt to cut congestion and reduce vehicle emissions through more efficient driving, is now set to be tested using a simulation model of the A59 in York.

RAC spokesman Rod Dennis said that it was “great to see novel technology like this being trialled”. He said reducing stop-start traffic would reduce emissions and help drivers by causing less wear on brakes.