LETTER: Intelligent lights solution

This will govern the main roads into the city. It will function by detecting, and reacting to, heat and movement sensors.

These will give priority to the major roads unless the sensors detect traffic building up at junctions.

Whenever this occurs the computer-controlled lights will change, so as to enable the waiting traffic to proceed unhindered and without risk.

Surely it is not beyond the abilities of traffic management and computer engineers to devise a similar system for our A27 Chichester bypass, with a ‘default’ setting to prioritise traffic using the A27.

This would allow traffic wanting to join, or cross, the bypass to do so safely, without stress or danger to anyone.

Such a computer system could even co-ordinate all the traffic lights at peak times, so that during rush hours traffic on the A27 could flow steadily, at say 40mph, and still enable crossing or joining traffic to move more fairly and steadily, in ‘pulses’.

I would suggest that all the existing roundabouts be made subject to a 30mph speed limit, with the remainder of the A27 bypass subject to a 40mph limit, so as to co-ordinate A27 through traffic with the traffic lights.

I would also recommend acceleration lanes and deceleration lanes, so traffic joining or exiting the A27 to the left would not be subjected to any unnecessary delays due to red lights.

This traffic-control system could be more easily developed and managed, and cost much, much less than the contentious proposals currently being offered.

It would be in operation sooner than other proposed solutions, without massive changes to the existing layouts of the bypass and without years of construction, noise and disruption.

Why is a plan such as this not even being considered? If it was proposed to Highways England I think they would readily agree to fund such an idea.

I have already raised this proposal with our local MP.

If adopted, our lives could then return to some semblance of normality ASAP.