Intersection lights

Editor,

Following Ken Rae’s letter (KMN, March 5) I have to agree with him that the timing of the Acheron and Mana View Rd intersection lights with The Esplanade is dreadful.

Almost without fail, having arrived at the lights we sit and wait, and wait, and wait for what seems an interminably long period. It’s the most frustrating when there is little or often times no traffic passing along the Esplanade and there is simply no reason for holding up side-road traffic.

I would suggest in those instances a careful ‘free left turn on red’ would work very well, particularly when the clearway is not operating.

My solution in the meantime is simply to actually get out of the car (or send one of the kids) to press the pedestrian cross button. Without fail the lights will change almost immediately and the short delay incurred by the pedestrian cross light is still less than the delay would be otherwise just waiting (and waiting).

I have observed the lights at other times during walks and there is no apparent consistency with regard to whether vehicles have just recently come off the side road or how light or busy the Esplanade traffic actually is.

But I do note that at the time of writing, some temporary traffic counter strips are in place so perhaps Ken’s letter has prompted a review of the traffic? If not, I would be interested to know under what criteria the traffic light timing is configured.