London is looking for new ways to tackle city congestion. Instead of focusing on cars, a new scheme would allow cyclists to move around the city at a faster pace.
The plan, created by Transport for London, adds new sensors to traffic lights. These sensors can keep the lights green for large waves of cyclists for longer, allowing bike riders to commute around the city without holding up regular traffic.
Traffic lights will be outfitted with radar and thermal sensors, capable of tracking groups of cyclists and the flow of traffic, before making a decision on whether the lights should stay green for longer.
TfL is testing the system on one of London’s Cycle Superhighways. Plans to launch the system on three other highways are in place, but London has still not confirmed whether it will roll out the system across all roads in London.
Having a smarter traffic system would allow less congestion inside London, a major issue for the city that Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London, has been trying to tackle for years.
Cyclists are becoming a more common sight in London and more paths for commuters is making it safe, but there are still some cracks in the system. For one, some London streets still lack basic safety features like cycling paths.
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