Pedestrian 'turn signal' lights are as good as non-existent

04/09/2024 | 18:55

TPO - Since 2017, Hanoi has installed traffic lights with active buttons for pedestrians to cross the street in places where there are no overpasses or pedestrian tunnels. However, after 7 years of implementation, these traffic lights have not been effective, and in some places, they even exist in a "nothing but" manner.

Since 2017, Hanoi has been piloting the installation of traffic lights specifically for pedestrians. To date, Hanoi has a total of 13 intersections with these lights.

According to the design, a button is installed on the traffic light pole, where the road has a white priority line. When wanting to cross the road, pedestrians press the button. After a while, the traffic light will turn red, requiring vehicles to stop, and the pedestrian priority light will turn green so that pedestrians can cross the road safely.

However, after 7 years of implementation, pedestrian signals have not been effective.

According to the reporter's records, at places where traffic lights are installed for pedestrians on roads and streets such as Xuan Thuy, Lang Ha, Dinh Tien Hoang..., few people use them when crossing the street.

Many lights are no longer working, others are frequently broken or lose signal.

Two friends Nhat Minh and Chung from Nguyen Tat Thanh High School shared: "I often go home from school via Xuan Thuy and Cau Giay streets. I'm scared to cross the street, but when I press the emergency light, there's no signal."

The pedestrian priority light system in front of the Hanoi Post Office is still operating normally. However, when the light system is active, motorbikes and cars still rush through without giving way to pedestrians.

Foreign tourists are confused, not knowing how to cross the street when on Dinh Tien Hoang Street, Hoan Kiem District, the pedestrian priority light is ignored by vehicles.

Nguyen Trong Tai

Source: https://tienphong.vn/ha-noi-den-xin-duong-danh-cho-nguoi-di-bo-co-cung-nhu-khong-post1627479.tpo