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Tories propose left turns at red lights

Drivers should be able to turn left at red lights in a bid to ease congestion, the Conservatives' economic competitiveness policy group has suggested as part of a 10-point transport plan.

The proposal by the group, one of several set up by leader David Cameron, is not yet party policy.

The traffic light idea is based on practice in the US where motorists are allowed to turn right at red signals.

The group also suggests rephrasing traffic lights to give priority to main roads, putting cycle lanes on pavements where there is room, letting taxis and motorbikes use bus lanes, providing more pedestrian footbridges and underpasses, and reviewing speed limits.

Chairman of the policy group, John Redwood, told BBC's Today programme the proposals would increase capacity on roads by 10%, while freer flowing traffic would cut pollution. He denied the proposals ignored pedestrians and cyclists.

"We are saying that cyclists and pedestrians are very important and we want them to have better provision than they have at the moment," he said. "What we are doing is greener, cleaner and safer."

But Andrew Evans, professor of Transport Risk Management at Imperial College, has reservations about the ideas. "I would expect that the system as a whole would be somewhat less safe for pedestrians and cyclists," he said.

"I think more generally it would make the environment for pedestrians a lot less friendly than it is now, and that's not what we wish to encourage. We wish to encourage more pedestrian activity, particularly for short journeys, rather than cars."  

For the full story go to: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/5039326.stm.