How vehicles are detected

Wire sensors are laid beneath the road surface of junctions to sense the presence of vehicles. Each time a vehicle moves over the sensor, it causes a change in its magnetic field. This change activates a local controller which in turn adjusts the traffic light timing so that more green time is given to the direction with a higher traffic volume.

How pedestrians are detected

The GLIDE system tells the presence of pedestrians through push buttons, placed at traffic signal poles. Pedestrians have to press the push button before the green man will appear.

Previously, the green man would appear at a fixed time, whether or not there are pedestrians crossing the road. This means motorists have to wait at the red light unnecessarily.

Those waiting woes are a thing of the past as the green man now appears only when pedestrians press the push button. Motorists are also given more green time when there are no pedestrians crossing the road