Fixed amber arrows are widely used in many countries in Europe. Their use in the UK was proposed by the Traffic Control User Group in order to overcome confusion shown by some drivers when confronted by double-headed signals controlling different movements. There have been two previous studies on the use of fixed amber arrows in the UK. Five local authorities participated in the initial trials investigating the effects of fixed amber arrows on 17 approaches at 12 sites in Dorset, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Manchester and Nottingham. The study compared the number of incidents and violations before and after the amber arrows were installed. Driver behaviour was improved during the opening amber phase, but there was an increase in the number of violations during the closing amber phase. In 2003, Mott MacDonald conducted a study into the use of intelligent amber arrows at four sites in Leicester, Nottingham, Manchester and Bournemouth. All sites showed a reduction in the number of vehicles going through the opening red period and a reduction in the number of violations during the closing red period.
Abstract