Lights ‘not missed’

TRAFFIC has continued to run smoothly at a controversial road junction in Portishead following the removal of redundant traffic lights.

Signals at the Cabstand and High Street junctions were switched off in 2009 after they were blamed for causing traffic tailbacks through the town.

Fears that their removal may reduce caution exercised by motorists approaching the junction have proved unfounded and many motorists interviewed said they had not even noticed the lights were no longer in place.

Ricky Pearce, who runs Gordano Carpets in High Street close to the junctions, said: “I didn’t notice the lights weren’t there and it certainly doesn’t seem to have made any difference at all to the traffic.

“The lights were a nuisance while they were in operation and I think most people are pleased to see the back of them.”

The lights, funded by 106 planning agreement money, were installed in 2004 at a cost of �800,000. They are now expected to be re-assigned to an alternative site within North Somerset.