A NUMBER of correspondents have commented on the traffic-light sequencing on Holgate Road since changes were made to the road layout recently, some of them exaggerating to make the case against.

Following those changes officers have tested out different signal timings for Holgate Road and The Mount approaches to Blossom Street. This was done with a view to optimising the overall efficiency of the junction and to make improvements to journey times for buses heading towards the city centre from Tadcaster Road, the latter largely at the expense of the previous time allocated to exiting Holgate Road traffic.

The conclusion to this testing is a return to the previous timings for the Holgate Road lights, but with more frequent green lights generally, so an improvement that will result in the junction working better than before the changes.

The advanced lights exempting cyclists itself has not affected the waiting time for motorists in any way, because the advance signals go green earlier than the key junction lights, but is part of a package of measures to make cycling more attractive, something that is essential if we are to limit the increase in traffic congestion and its negative impact on the city’s economy.

Coun Dave Merrett (Labour), Cabinet member for planning, transport and sustainability, White House Gardens, Tadcaster Road, York.