[Rendel Harris]

Can anyone elucidate what the rules are at this set of lights I encounter every day (I’ll put a picture below, can’t seem to add a picture directly to a comment). They are the lights coming out of the new US Embassy development in Nine Elms, London, to join Nine Elms Lane. As can hopefully be seen from the picture (sorry for the quality, it’s a screen grab from my handlebar camera), there is a traffic light on the right hand side of the road and one across the road in line with the centre, but no light on the left-hand side. Additionally, there is no stop line at the end of the road in the left-hand lane, only a give way line. Does this mean that one can turn left even when the two traffic lights are red? Most mornings I sit there wondering whether or not I actually need to do so! 

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[IanMSpencer]

From that, it also appears

From that, it also appears that originally it was not possible to position a left hand light due to the apparent goods yard on the corner.

However, it looks even odder on the main road with a peculiar right turn and the right turn into the road seems to be set back before the junction, forcing traffic to cut the corner. 

As for a red light offence – is it possible to have one without a stop line?  I thought the offence was crossing the stop line, not a vague going through red.

[OnYerBike]

Based on Google Street View

Based on Google Street View history, the traffic lights used to have a “Part Time Signals” qualifier which might explain the give way markings, rather than the more normal stop line.

Given that the road is two-way, I don’t think there is a separate give-way-left-turn as per Tom_77’s example – that situation requires a separate left turn only lane. 

In addition, as far as I can tell the development (and the road you are using) still appears to be private land rather than an adopted public road, so they may have taken a somewhat lax approach to the Regulations. 

So, in short, I think if the lights are showing red you are expected to wait, despite the shortcomings of the lights/markings. Whether or not you could actually be prosecuted for failing to do so is another matter. 

[Rendel Harris]

That’s quite possible – it

That’s quite possible – it just seems odd that they would’ve forgotten to put a traffic light on that side of the road as well, I thought the regulations were generally there has to be one both sides of a road/lane?

[Tom_77]

You do get traffic lights

You do get traffic lights where the left turn is Give Way instead of being controlled by the lights.

Not sure from your picture if that’s what’s intended. Looks more like someone painted the wrong markings on the road.

[Rendel Harris]

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[Author]

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