Green means go, but please proceed with caution

Traffic.

Everyone has those moments; stuck in traffic with nowhere to go, and someone meters away from you who does not know whether they are coming or going – they indicate left, and then change it to right again before driving off straight.

For some it may be infuriating, resulting in often deadly cases of road-rage. Recently there has been an influx of vehicles on the town’s roads, resulting in traffic jams. It may seem sensational, but try making your way through the Sutherland and Hardwick street intersection on a Friday, without spending more than half an hour.

However, the municipality has implemented a method of lessening the driving time in Newcastle, particularly in areas which see a lot of traffic.

One such area is the previously mentioned intersection between Hardwick and Sutherland Streets. The four-way stop at this intersection has resulted in many collisions over the past few years, and as the business areas of Newcastle have decentralised, traffic has increased here.

Keen-eyed motorist would have noticed municipal workers installing new traffic lights in the area; these will hopefully be more effective in controlling traffic in the area and lower the chances of collisions.

Other areas in which traffic lights have been introduced this year are the Aquarand and Boundary road intersection, and outside the municipal car park on Murchison Street to allow easier access for those leaving the building in the future.

Newcastillians often bemoan driving on the town’s roads, and it may take some time to see whether this introduction is as welcomed as the Draper Street extension, or if it will be seen to be as ‘irritating’ as the numerous ‘bumpy mountains’ littering the town.