Not permanently, but between midnight and 5am.

Let's be honest, how much traffic uses traffic light junctions overnight?

As someone who often drives late at night, I can tell you it's not many.

I've lost count of the number of times I've waited at a red light at about 3am, and not had a single vehicle cross my path.

Turning off traffic lights for 5 hours a day would reduce their power usage by over 20%.

[Dazballer]

Its more likely that people will be taxed for using traffic lights.

Originally Posted by Dazballer

Its more likely that people will be taxed for using traffic lights.

Exactly, its more about money than the environment...

[tanstaafl]

Originally Posted by Jean Luc Picard

Not permanently, but between midnight and 5am.

Let's be honest, how much traffic uses traffic light junctions overnight?

As someone who often drives late at night, I can tell you it's not many.

I've lost count of the number of times I've waited at a red light at about 3am, and not had a single vehicle cross my path.

Turning off traffic lights for 5 hours a day would reduce their power usage by over 20%.

Sounds like a good idea. As you point out, if there's no traffic . . .

The only problem is how would it be carried out? If someone from the council has to drive round in his car to every light, then it's out.

Perhaps put in timer switches. But how much energy would it take to do this for the thousands of traffic lights in the country and how long would it take for this energy to be paid back?

[David (2)]

I dont think this is a good idea at all.....what if a few cars do get to the junction at the same time - at night, and there's no traffic lights? who would be to blame if they crashed into each other?

Anyway, it looks like a lot of traffic lights are now LED based, so this must be saving a lot of power (although I dont think they are quite as bright).

Dave

[Dan100]

They could display a steady amber light meaning caution - treat as an ummarked junction. Not sure how much energy would be saved though.

Originally Posted by David (2)

what if a few cars do get to the junction at the same time - at night, and there's no traffic lights? who would be to blame if they crashed into each other?

Driver manage all the time at some quite busy junctions that don't have traffic lights, so I'm sure they could handle a situation involving a handful of cars at 3am.

[craigy132]

never mind traffic lights , what about big stores like currys,pc world etc who have big lights on their stores 24/7 ? No need get em turned off!

[rufnek2k6]

Weren't they suggesting turning off street lights at night? Does anyone else think that it will increase the number of attacks on Fri/Sat nights?

[mjk79]

Originally Posted by tanstaafl

The only problem is how would it be carried out? If someone from the council has to drive round in his car to every light, then it's out.

Perhaps put in timer switches. But how much energy would it take to do this for the thousands of traffic lights in the country and how long would it take for this energy to be paid back?

Since traffic lights are controlled by computer, it should be fairly simple to add to the computer software to enable the lights to be switched off when not needed.

They could even incorporate a set of more distant sensors which detect approaching vehicles and activates the lights when needed at any time of day and extend this to street lights too.

[iSix]

Originally Posted by Dan100

They could display a steady amber light meaning caution - treat as an ummarked junction. Not sure how much energy would be saved though.

Erm... none, since you'd still have one light on at all times, just like when they're in normal operation.

Infact though, traffic lights do save energy at night. During the day, a single light uses two fillaments to make the light bright so you can see it in the day light, during the night they only use a single fillament since they don't need to be as bright.

[ncma]

Originally Posted by rufnek2k6

Weren't they suggesting turning off street lights at night? Does anyone else think that it will increase the number of attacks on Fri/Sat nights?

Street lights are only on at night...if they turn them off they'll never be on

[twingle]

Or what about replacing them with energy saving bulbs that the governement are so keen on us using

I presume they are bulbs are they not?

[Milky Joe]

Originally Posted by craigy132

never mind traffic lights , what about big stores like currys,pc world etc who have big lights on their stores 24/7 ? No need get em turned off!

Urgh yes! I hate this! The number of shops and office blocks that leave their lights on all night!! NO need! I'm sure it would be cheaper to buy a sensor if anyone broke in to switch on the lights...

[Glen]

Originally Posted by twingle

Or what about replacing them with energy saving bulbs that the governement are so keen on us using

I presume they are bulbs are they not?

Most traffic signals are currently lit by halogen lamps, but many new ones use LED aspects which use considerably less power.

[rufnek2k6]

Originally Posted by ncma

Street lights are only on at night...if they turn them off they'll never be on

lol thats wat i thote first but then they were sayin between 12-4/5 so they will be on in evenings an early nights

[vanyablue]

Lots of traffic lights round here get switched off outside peak hours. I assume it's just a simple clock timer. I thought it was quite common but maybe cities are different.

[sleepydove]

I think turning traffic lights off for a few hours during the night is a great idea.

[*Joe*]

Originally Posted by craigy132

never mind traffic lights , what about big stores like currys,pc world etc who have big lights on their stores 24/7 ? No need get em turned off!

From my experience as a manager in retail there are usually good reasons for this.

Primarily being that replenishment, merchandising, deliveries and stock counts are all done over night, so even when the store 'looks' closed then there are probably people in there.

Secondarily is that not ALL the lights are on. At Sainsbury's most of the lights go off at closing time with only about 30% of the lights on for staff to work there, when the staff leave then the only lights on are the ones at the front of the store.

All the lights in the store are on a timer, for example all the lights in the fridges come on at opening time and go off as soon as we close, same with all the spotlights on the special offers.

[Daisy Bennyboots]

I took my driving test in a traffic light failure - thw whole town was out. It was great - everyone drove cautiously and slowly and were polite, nudging their way home carefully and calmly. It was an uttery strange experience - you'd expect chaos, wouldn't you? Turn them off all hours!

I used to have to work in the huge Slough industrial estate in the early morning in the holidays when I was a student. I used to drive around for hours, only seeing an occasional lorry every so often, driving slowly though this massive estate but it was lit in an orange glow of streetlights, traffic lights, closed superstores, shopping villages, flood-lit factories...lighting up virtually nothing, hour upon hour, week upon week, year upon year...and now decade upon decade...and I used to think "do people ever think about how much electicity is wasted while they are sleeping?"

I don't have a solution but this can't go on forever. I know morning deliveries are vital but the amount of electricity just so a lorry can reach it's loading bay early is mind-boggling.

[lemoncurd]

LP Sodium street light must cost a small fortune to run in the middle of the night! I can understand it in the centre of big cities where there are likely to be reasonable numbers of people 24/7, but in many suburbs, small towns and villages, I think there is a case to switch them off between 1am and 5am.

[n00b]

You couldn't possibly do that in Central London or other city centres. Why can't we just cut out the orange and keep the green and blue?

[ForestChav]

I can think of some traffic lights around here I'd like to switch off permanently.

[Daisy Bennyboots]

Originally Posted by n00b

You couldn't possibly do that in Central London or other city centres. Why can't we just cut out the orange and keep the green and blue?

You have a blue traffic light?

I want a picture!

[ForestChav]

Originally Posted by Dork Benedict

You have a blue traffic light?

I want a picture!

What, you mean you've never seen a blue traffic light before?

You've never lived. I see them all the time!