Bristol traffic lights debate - should they stay or go?

Traffic lights on roundabouts should be done away with altogether. People have forgotten how to use roundabouts.

For instance, a couple of weeks ago the lights were turned off at the roundabout at the end of the M5 going to Avonmouth. Traffic was running better while they were off but there were still some drivers stopping while on the roundabout to let traffic on. This could have caused an accident.

The rule is give way to the right on a roundabout so if you are on the roundabout you keep going to your exit.

I think Bristol and South Gloucestershire councils have got an abundance of traffic lights left over that they want to get rid of so it's an "I know we have a roundabout that needs lights, lets put them there to make the traffic worse" attitude.

Phil Cooke,

Speedwell.

● ON Sunday I left Oldland Common to go on to the M32 along the Avon Ring Road. It was fairly early and hardly any other traffic on the road.

I was stopped at five sets of traffic lights en route – four of them at roundabouts.

What made it worse was that when the lights turned green they only let me a quarter of the way around the roundabout to the next red light.

Firstly, apart from the extra fuel wasted and electricity being used why can't these signals be programmed to turn off when traffic is very light? Surely the sensors in the road can do this?

On my return journey on Saturday the traffic was heavy, the lights at junction one of the M32 at Hambrook were turned off for maintenance but the traffic was moving with no problems.

Enough said!

Nick Gould,

Oldland.

● I THINK we need to seriously consider the problems that would arise if we abolished traffic lights at some roundabouts.

At Filton, near Airbus, there is a traffic light-controlled roundabout where there would be serious danger if the lights were not there.

This used to be a very difficult place to get onto the roundabout and just as difficult to get off again.

Such roundabouts without lights also constitute an even worse danger for cyclists, whom we should be encouraging to use their bikes by assuring their safety.

JT,

Bristol.