'Smart' traffic lights set up at busy Carmarthen junction

A set of 'smart' traffic lights are being installed at a busy Carmarthen junction to overcome delays and build up of traffic.
Temporary traffic lights have been in operation while the work is carried outon the busy junctions serving Llanstephan Road, Johnstown and on to Job's Well Road.
The temporary lights have caused some delays, but the inconvenience will be worth when the new £60,000 MOVA (Microprocessor Optimised Vehicle Actuation) lights have been installed, acclimatise and become responsive to traffic conditions.
Carmarthenshire County Council’s traffic manager John McEvoy said it was a large investment but an important one as it will be more responsive to traffic conditions and will lead to a significant increase in capacity at the junctions.
“In free flowing mode the aim of MOVA is to disperse any queues which have built up on a red signal,” he said. “It then assesses the traffic flows approaching on each arm of the junction and calculates if extending the current green would be beneficial.
“If it is beneficial then the current green is extended and the calculation is repeated. This continues until there is no benefit in extending the green and the signals move to the next stage.
“When the network is congested MOVA operates in capacity maximising mode. This assesses which approaches are overloaded and how efficiently the green is being used and seeks to determine a set of signal timings which will maximise the throughput of the junction under the current conditions.”
Mr McEvoy said, in short, that the lights would not change for junctions where there was no traffic at them ensuring the smoothest and most efficient flow.
The system will be installed in the next month, and the lights will need a period of a few weeks to settle and acclimatise to traffic patterns through the day.
The system has been successfully used at the Pemberton lights in Llanelli, and at the A48 and M4 link at Hendy.