Traffic light changes causing chaos

The full extent of the traffic light chaos bringing the capital's roads to a standstill can be revealed today.

Documents obtained by the Evening Standard show just how widespread the campaign to rephase London's signals in favour of the pedestrian has become.

They detail 111 changes in central London, at some of the busiest junctions, which have already caused delays and gridlock for thousands of motorists since they were implemented. They also reveal another 40 lights which may be altered as a direct result of Mayor Ken Livingstone's congestion charge.

Transport for London intends to alter 2,000 traffic lights over the next two to three years across Greater London. The scheme - first revealed in the Evening Standard - has caused a storm of protest among motorists and business leaders.

Many believe Mr Livingstone and his director of street management Derek Turner are softening up London's drivers for congestion charging - creating chaos now which can be reversed when congestion charging is introduced next year. Though officials admit that some proposed changes are for congestion charging they claim the vast majority already implemented are designed to make pedestrian crossings safer and to mitigate the effect of roadworks schemes such as the pedestrianisation of Trafalgar Square.

The central London alterations affect some of the busiest and most prestigious streets in the capital including Grosvenor Square, Harley Street, Berkeley Street, Victoria Street, Shaftsbury Avenue and Russell Square; also Regent Street, The Strand, The Mall, Constitution Hill and Piccadilly Circus.

The second swathe, in outer London-affects areas such as the Edgware Road, Marylebone Road, Bayswater Road, Whitechapel Road and Tower Hill. These changes have not yet taken effect but initial work has been done so that the phasing can be altered if necessary when congestion charging starts next year.

Opposition to the project, and the way it has been handled, is growing. This week borough leaders confronted London's transport commissioner Bob Kiley, to complain they were not consulted or even informed about the re-phasing programme.

Nick Lester, the transport and environment director of the Association of London Government, said: "There must be better co-ordination. No one sat down and said 'we must not tell the boroughs what is going on'. I think they took the view that these are roads they are responsible for and that they would just go ahead and do it. There was no illwill but it is important that in future everyone works together."

But Daniel Moylan, deputy leader of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, said: "There was a degree of deceit here. They were determined to push everything through without anyone noticing."

Business leaders also criticised the chaos. Piers Merchant, campaigns director for the London Chamber of Commerce said: "It is slowing traffic down when the Mayor is supposed to be about curing traffic congestion."

Jonathon Simpson of the RAC Foundation said he was stuck in traffic on the Marylebone Road last Sunday for 40 minutes. "The situation is absolutely terrible and getting worse."

Mr Turner and the Mayor - who released a list of some of the altered traffic lights - flatly deny accusations that it is part of a softening-up exercise. Last week Mr Turner said: "The changes that have taken place over the last year to 18 months have got nothing whatever to do with congestion charging."

His department says many of London's traffic lights failed to conform to national safety standards and needed to be rephased.