TRAFFIC in the borough may become less congested due to new technology.
The borough council is installing smart traffic lights which can change signal timings based on how busy it gets.
They are being placed at about 120 junctions and more than 50 are already covered.
The new lights include video cameras and electronic sensors which record the flow of passing traffic.
Council officers can manage heavy flows by varying how often the lights change between green and red from a virtual control room.
The technology has been supported by a £250,000 fund from the Department of Transport.
Some push-button pedestrian crossings are being replaced with newer ones triggered by sensors to avoid stopping traffic any longer than necessary.
And the council is working to set up electronic signs to display warnings about upcoming delays or suggest alternative routes.
Cllr Pauline Jorgensen, executive member for highways and transport, said: “Although we’re expanding our road network to serve new housing, we still have to make the best use of existing capacity.
“We realise congestion is a nuisance for residents and businesses alike and has an adverse impact, both through the delays it causes and subsequent loss of footfall as well as the health effects of air pollution.
“We’re determined to address this by making residents’ journeys smarter through technology and warning road users about anything which might affect them. By keeping people informed, it will reduce frustration.”
