Turn left on red possible solution
Main Roads is considering introducing the "turn left on red" concept at Perth intersections as it continues its battle against the city's growing congestion woes.
The concept allows motorists to turn left at a red light - but only after they have stopped and given way to any vehicles, cyclists or pedestrians.
Main Roads says on its website the concept could reduce delays caused by queuing at intersections.
It said the concept was being tested in Brisbane and once this trial was completed it would be assessed and considered for WA.
The website revealed Main Roads is also considering introducing pedestrian countdown timers.
Traffic signals now indicate that it is safe for pedestrians to cross by displaying "the green man" and activating an audio signal for the vision impaired.
"When time to cross is running out, the flashing red man appears but doesn't show how much time pedestrians have to complete their crossing," the website said.
"Countdown timers replace the red man and eliminate this uncertainty by informing pedestrians of how many seconds they have left to safely cross the road."
The pedestrian countdown timer technology has been developed over the past decade and is used in several countries.
The traffic operations manager for South Australia's Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure, Philip Blake, told a Perth transport conference last year that the system had been installed at several Adelaide intersections.
Observations and testing of pedestrians found the technology was more "pedestrian friendly", without encouraging unsafe behaviour.
Its early success meant more trials would be conducted, at intersections with higher pedestrian activity.
At the time, former transport minister Troy Buswell said Main Roads WA would monitor the Adelaide trial and similar testing in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.
'Countdown timers inform pedestrians of how many seconds they have left to safely cross the road.'" *Main Roads *
