Temporary traffic lights are currently in operation at the A555/ Woodford Road, Bramhall junction as the works to construct the A6 to Manchester Airport Relief Road (A6MARR) progress. The installation of the permanent traffic lights that will control traffic flows at the junction is now nearing completion, with the permanent traffic lights planned to be operational during week commencing 5th February.
Once the permanent traffic lights are in place, the junction at Woodford Road will operate using what is known as Vehicle Actuation (VA) meaning that the timing of the traffic lights will change according to traffic demand at each arm of the junction. The temporary traffic lights currently in place operate on fixed timings so an improvement in traffic flows at the junction is expected once the permanent traffic lights are in place.
The permanent traffic lights are able to change timings according to traffic demand by virtue of the presence of a series of vehicle induction loops are cut into the carriageway on all approaches to the junction. The loops are used to detect approaching vehicles and demand the green traffic light for that approach. Once that approach is at green, vehicles continuing to pass over the induction loops will extend the amount of green time (up to a pre-defined limit). Once the induction loops have either stopped detecting vehicles or the maximum allowed green time has been reached, the signals will change to another approach that has detected vehicles. At a later date, the junction will be upgraded to run Microprocessor Optimised Vehicle Actuation (MOVA) which is an intelligent version of VA. MOVA uses the same induction loops to measure traffic flows and, utilising complex algorithms determines the most efficient amount of green time to allocate to each approach on a real time basis.
Please note that following the installation of the permanent traffic lights, the junction will not operate as it will once the A6MARR opens because traffic volumes on Woodford Road, particularly south of the junction, are forecast to decrease as a result of the A6MARR.
We would like to thank you for your continued patience during the works at the Woodford Rad junction and apologise for any delays to your journeys.