5.17Operating at or near traffic signals#

A traffic controller must not direct traffic contrary to an operating traffic signal.

A traffic controller must not direct traffic through traffic signals, without having the relevant road authority switching the traffic signals to flashing yellow or off.

Where a traffic controller is to control traffic within 100 m of a signalised intersection with traffic signals operating in normal mode (not flashing yellow or switched off), the traffic controller station must be positioned a safe distance from the operating traffic signals.

Generally, a safe distance would be within the range of 50 m to 100 m but, in exceptional circumstances, it may be safe at less than 50 m, subject to a site-specific risk assessment.

A risk assessment should be undertaken when a traffic controller is in view of traffic signals, to ensure there is no conflict between the traffic controller's directions and the traffic signals.

If there is a risk of motorists departing the traffic-controlled section and ignoring nearby traffic signals after reading the hand-held SLOW sign, the traffic signals must be switched off or to flashing yellow.

When a traffic controller is operating at or near traffic signals, the following conditions also apply:

• when signals are switched off or flashing yellow, traffic is controlled manually by traffic controllers stationed at each intersection approach, releasing traffic one approach at a time
• if the conditions only allow one traffic controller to work on a multilane road, the approach must be reduced to a single lane for traffic control, and
• traffic controllers operating between 50 m and 100 m of a signalised intersection should consider the impact of the signals on their operations and the impact of their operations on the signals.