‘Tearing my hair out’: MP slams epidemic of temporary traffic lights

“I’ve been tearing my hair out trying to drive around the town,” a Greater Manchester MP told constituents, voicing a frustration many motorists and local businesses share as the region wrestles with an apparent epidemic of temporary traffic lights. The complaint, widely reported this week, has reignited debate about transport planning, roadworks coordination and how councils manage short-term traffic control measures that have become a daily irritation for commuters.

Why temporary lights have become so visible

Temporary traffic lights are a common sight across towns and cities while utility repairs, resurfacing, and construction work take place. Seen as a straightforward way to manage traffic where lane closures or controlled crossings are required, these portable systems can nonetheless create significant delays when used frequently or without proper liaison between contractors and local authorities.

Concerns raised by the MP highlight a pattern that residents describe as disproportionate numbers of short-term installations, some left in place for days with minimal visible progress. That pattern raises questions about planning and oversight, particularly when temporary signals appear on multiple routes at peak times.

Local impact: travel, business and environment

While temporary lights are intended to keep people safe and work sites operational, the ripple effects can be wide-ranging:

• Commuters face longer journey times and unpredictable delays, affecting punctuality for work and appointments.
• Local businesses, especially retail and hospitality, can see reduced footfall if customers avoid congested streets.
• Drivers sometimes divert through residential areas, increasing noise and local risk.
• Stop–start traffic raises emissions and can undermine local air-quality targets.

Councils are often tasked with balancing safety, infrastructure renewal and minimal disruption — but when measures are perceived as poorly coordinated, public confidence can fall and elected representatives may press for answers.

What better coordination looks like

Transport professionals and local authority officers often recommend a series of practical steps to limit the disruption from temporary traffic controls. These are not radical — rather, they centre on planning, transparency and accountability:

• Advance scheduling and co-ordination between utilities, highways teams and contractors to avoid overlapping works on key routes.
• Publishing clear start and finish dates for temporary signals, with updates when schedules change.
• Prioritising off-peak work where safe and feasible and using alternative traffic-management methods for short-duration jobs.
• Offering residents simple reporting routes so problems — such as lights left overnight or broken units — can be fixed promptly.
• Using data to identify hotspots and strategic corridors that should avoid simultaneous works.

Practical steps for drivers and residents

If you’re regularly affected by temporary lights, there are a few practical actions that can ease day-to-day frustration while the bigger planning issues are addressed:

• Check local council and traffic apps before setting off — many authorities publish planned roadworks and live updates.
• Allow extra travel time during planned works or choose alternative routes where possible.
• If lights are clearly malfunctioning or left in place past the advertised end date, use the council’s reporting tool so officers can investigate.
• Raise concerns with your local councillor or MP if there’s a recurring problem — elected representatives can press for cross-agency coordination.

Key Takeaways

• Temporary traffic lights are essential for many safety-critical roadworks, but frequent or poorly managed deployments can cause disproportionate disruption.
• Frustration expressed by a local MP reflects wider public concern about journey times, local business impact and environmental effects.
• Cohesive planning between councils, utilities and contractors — including published schedules and contingency plans — reduces disruption.
• Residents can take practical steps: consult live updates, report problems, and raise persistent issues with local representatives.
• Longer-term solutions include smarter scheduling, data-driven decision-making, and the use of alternatives when appropriate to cut delays.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are temporary traffic lights used instead of traffic marshals or lane closures?
Temporary lights are often deployed for safety and efficiency where two-way traffic must share a reduced carriageway or where pedestrian crossings are needed during works. They can be quicker to set up and safer for workers when managed correctly. However, in short-duration tasks marshals or phased closures may be less disruptive.

How long should temporary lights remain in place?
There’s no universal rule for duration — it depends on the scope of works. Councils typically expect contractors to provide start and end dates, and many have guidelines to minimise long-term use. If lights remain well beyond the published end date, residents should report them.

Who is responsible when temporary lights cause excessive delays?
Responsibility usually lies with the body overseeing the works — for example, a utility company or highways contractor — under the direction of the local authority. Councils have powers to require better coordination and to enforce conditions attached to permits.

Can residents force a change to the timing of works?
Residents can lobby their local councillors and MP, and participate in consultations. Where works are critical, rescheduling may not be feasible, but greater transparency and better timing are reasonable demands that local authorities can influence through permit systems.

Is this problem unique to Greater Manchester?
No. Cities and towns across the UK report similar challenges when multiple agencies’ works converge. The impact varies by local governance, the efficiency of permit systems, and the effectiveness of contractor coordination.