Waqi Ahmed
If you’ve ever noticed how roads in the UK often widen near traffic lights and then narrow again, you’re not alone—it’s a common design used across the country to help manage traffic flow efficiently and safely.
Here’s why this happens:
1. To Keep Traffic Moving
Near traffic lights, roads often split into two or more lanes. This layout allows more vehicles to queue side by side, which helps reduce long tailbacks and gets more cars through the green light in each cycle.
2. For Turning Lanes
Extra lanes are usually marked for specific directions—like left turns, right turns, or straight ahead. This helps keep turning traffic out of the way of drivers who want to continue straight through the lights.
3. To Make the Most of Green Light Time
By allowing more vehicles to wait and move off together, these wider sections make full use of the green light, which means less waiting around and smoother journeys for everyone.
4. Safer, More Organised Junctions
This road layout separates different movements—turning vs. going straight—which makes junctions clearer and safer, reducing the risk of confusion or last-minute lane changes.
Why It Narrows Again Afterwards
Once you’re past the junction, the road often goes back to a single lane. This helps:
- Keep roads safer by discouraging speeding
- Make space for pedestrians, cyclists, bus lanes or parking
- Avoid unnecessarily wide roads in quieter areas
At Farnham Driving School, we make sure our learners understand how to approach these kinds of road layouts with confidence—whether it’s choosing the correct lane, anticipating other drivers’ movements, or safely merging back into one lane after the lights.
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