"Research is currently underway that will give DfT the evidence to consider approving the use of these lights to provide an 'early start' for cyclists." - Seems that they must show the same light as the bigger signal head. Political progress is always slow, I guess.
Can anyone point me to an explanation of what use exactly has been approved?
Everything I have read seems to suggest that these low-level signals may only show the same aspect as those for motor vehicles - although their apparent proposed use in London, to give an early start to cyclists, would seem to go against this idea (albeit momentarily).
I'd be interested too. They're common (normal even) in France, but no cycle specific- just a simple repeater of the main aspect. Even that would be welcome, because if you're up at the line (especially in an ASL) and there's no signal head on the opposite side of the junction it can be quite awkward to see the lights...
We've got a few cycle-specific three colour lights around Cambridge that (till now) have had to be full size signal heads and at the specified minimum height- if these smaller, lower heads could be used they'd be much more user friendly.
Though they don't have a red bike light, just yellow and green.
In France, they don't have repeater lights, and sometimes no stop line; the traffic light defines the line. So it makes sense to have smaller traffic lights for the car driver who has just stopped, its angled towards him/her.
I was involved in the trials for these lights at the TFL test centre. The lights are images of bicyles, which illuminate red, amber, green. They are to replace the advanced stop line.
There will be a set of lights for motor vechicles and a low level set of lights for cycles which will change before the motor vechicle lights eg: 5 seconds before.
Some of the lighting sets will also have the advanced stop line, along with the low level bicycle lighting, where space permits.
