Traffic Lights at Intersections (Hansard, 23 May 2002)

§ The Minister of State, Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (Lord Falconer of Thoroton)

I have asked the Chief Executive of the Highways Agency, Tim Matthews, to write to the noble Lord.

Letter from the Chief Executive of the Highways Agency, Tim Matthews, dated 23 May 2002.

The Minister of State, Lord Falconer of Thoroton, has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the criteria for the installation of traffic lights at intersections on trunk roads; and whether the intersections in Derbyshire of the A6 and the B5023 at Duffield and the A6 and the B5057 at Darley Dale meet these criteria.

117WA

The criteria for the installation of traffic signals at trunk road intersections are set out in the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges, published jointly by the Highways Agency, the Scottish Executive, the National Assembly for Wales and the Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland. They involve the collection of a considerable amount of background data, including the performance of the junction, traffic volumes and accident details.

In order to investigate whether the intersections of the A6/B5023 at Duffield and the A6/B5057 at Darley Dale meet the criteria, detailed investigations would be required, which would take some time to complete. As you may be aware, the A6 is due to be de-trunked with effect from 1st July, when responsibility for its management will transfer to Derbyshire County Council, and negotiations are currently in progress with the County Council about the handover. We have therefore alerted the County Council to your question.

It you would like any further information, Steve Forgham, the Highways Agency's Area Manager for this length of the A6, would be pleased to help. He can be contacted at the Agency's offices at Broadway, Broad Street, Birmingham B15 1BL, or by telephone on 0121 678 8506.