Give cyclists priority at lights, says Lime boss

Traffic lights should automatically turn green for cyclists on London's roads to speed up their journeys and improve rider behaviour, according to an e-bike hire company.

Hal Stevenson, policy director for Lime, said a system giving cyclists priority over cars at traffic lights could improve safety and encourage more people to get round the city on bikes.

Transport for London (TfL) last month unveiled plans to give buses priority at all 3,500 traffic lights they pass on their routes by 2030 - and Stevenson wants the measure extended to bikes.

TfL has said it takes cyclists into account when it reviews signal timings and it wants everyone to travel as "safely and efficiently as possible".

"Cyclists shouldn't be left on red," Stevenson wrote in an article for news website MyLondon.

The traffic light system that prioritises buses contains sensors, so they know when buses are approaching. They can stay green for longer when a bus is approaching, or switch from red to green more quickly if a bus is waiting.

"These lights should also allow cyclists to pass through without waiting," Stevenson said.

"Cycling now accounts for up to one in five trips in central London, with cycle traffic at peak times exceeding cars.

"Despite this, signal timings remain set around motor traffic speeds, which can lead to frequent stopping and less smooth journeys for people on bikes."

TfL recently announced it had extended the cycle network in London from 55 miles (90km) to more than 267 miles (431km) between 2016 and 2025, with 17 new cycleway routes installed last year alone.

Stevenson said that a new traffic light system that prioritised cyclists would be a "natural next step in building on that success".

"Other leading cycling cities like Copenhagen and Amsterdam show what's possible," he added.

Traffic light management systems in some cities in Denmark, the Netherlands and Germany use "green wave" technology to prioritise cyclists.

This is done by timing traffic lights in sequence to ensure a continuous, stop-free ride.

The systems "reward cyclists travelling at a safe, consistent speed with a sequence of green lights" and have improved safety and rider behaviour while reducing journey times at relatively low cost, Stevenson said.

The move could also mean that fewer cyclists ignore red lights, Stevenson added.

Steve McNamara, general secretary of the Licensed Taxi Drivers Association, said such a policy would be "farcical" as London is "incredibly congested", with traffic "slower than it's ever been".

He claimed people who hire bikes are "incentivised" to take "dangerous risks" such as ignoring red lights because the companies' time-based pricing means it is cheaper if journeys are completed quicker.

A TfL spokesperson said: "We already take cyclists, as well as pedestrians and other traffic, into account when we review the timings of around 1,200 signals each year.

"We're also working to transform the technology behind London's traffic signals, moving towards an intelligent adaptive traffic signal system that optimises the amount of green time for everyone in real time."

Listen to the best of BBC Radio London on Sounds and follow BBC London on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to hello.bbclondon@bbc.co.uk