TRAFFIC lights at the Halfway and Admiral Park junctions will cut delays by 20%. Environment Department deputy minister Ivan Rihoy said they would ease congestion at peak times, improve traffic flow and increase safety.

‘We hope the public will be supportive and understand what we are trying to do is in the interests of traffic management and road safety.’

But there are already fears that these lights could lead to others at places such as the Braye Road-Vale Avenue junction, the Bridge and Bulwer Avenue.

The department will also be looking closely at the junction of Les Banques and Victoria Avenue and the Bouet-Red Lion junction, said Deputy Rihoy.

He said the decision to go ahead with lights followed a comprehensive assessment of the most vulnerable areas.

These ranged from Bulwer Avenue to Town and sophisticated computer modelling was used to illustrate traffic movement with modern, synchronised lights.

‘This decision has not been taken lightly, but we have looked at every issue regarding traffic management on this main road and the junctions coming off it, including roundabouts and filters,’ he said.

‘Filters do work in Guernsey but not on this road. The Guernsey person understands filters but in the evenings it’s easy to forget they are there and that is when accidents happen,’ said Deputy Rihoy.

The Halfway junction has the worst accident record in the island – an average of 11 a year – with most occurring when traffic was not at its heaviest.

Signals there will take into account extra traffic due to the school at Les Nicolles and Housing Target Area Eight at Belgrave Vinery.

‘We believe traffic signalling is the safest method of controlling traffic along the front and don’t believe it will cause any congestion but will increase the traffic flow and make it safer and give people a clear run.’

The possibility of a roundabout at the end of Elizabeth Avenue was mooted but dismissed.

Angry Vale deputy Graham Guille is threatening to take the issue to the States because he believes the introduction of lights will cause chaos.

Fellow parish deputy Dave Jones is not convinced they will work either.

‘Babtie, the advisers, don’t like our filters and have been determined to rid us of them ever since they were given the job of looking at our traffic system,’ he said.

But Deputy Rihoy quickly dismissed this suggestion.

‘We have no intention of reducing the number of filters at all,’ he said.

‘There is no intention of putting any signals anywhere else at this time, but we have looked at modelling on the Bridge in respect of Leale’s Yard.’

‘We are very concerned about any areas that have records of accidents each year.

‘We know there are probably lots of accidents that don’t get recorded and we don’t want to see any more fatalities,’ he said.