Warwickshire County Council is appealing to residents to help protect essential highway infrastructure following incidents of deliberate damage to traffic signal detection equipment across the ...
Warwickshire County Council is appealing to residents to help protect essential highway infrastructure following incidents of deliberate damage to traffic signal detection equipment across the county and elsewhere in the UK.
Recent reports from other authorities have highlighted a growing problem of vandalism affecting traffic signal detector units. Misinformation circulating on social media has wrongly claimed that the devices produce radiation which can be attributed to harmful conditions such as dementia, Covid and even brain tumours. This is believed to be behind the vandalism.
Similar incidents have now also been identified in Warwickshire, resulting in repair costs, disruption to the road network and potential safety concerns for all road users.
Traffic signal detection technology plays a vital role in managing the county's transport network. Installed at signal-controlled junctions and pedestrian crossings, detector units identify vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists waiting to cross or pass through a junction. This enables traffic signals to respond to real-time demand, helping to reduce congestion, improve journey reliability and ensure safer crossings for vulnerable road users.
The Council is keen to reassure residents that these detector units are not surveillance devices and do not record personal information. Their sole purpose is to support the safe and efficient operation of traffic signals.
When detector equipment is damaged, traffic signals may need to revert to fixed-time operation. This can lead to increased delays, reduced network efficiency and a less responsive service for pedestrians and cyclists. Repairing vandalised equipment creates more roadworks and traffic delays over the course of the repairs but also places an unnecessary burden on public finances, diverting resources away from planned highway maintenance and improvement schemes.
Cllr Stephen Shaw Warwickshire County Council's Portfolio Holder for Transport and Planning said:
"Traffic signal detection technology is a vital part of our transport infrastructure and helps thousands of people travel safely every day. They have evolved to adjust the time that traffic signals change depending on who is waiting, avoiding unnecessary delays at lights when there is nobody seeking to cross.
“Their impact for our communities is only positive and we can assure residents that they are not harmful. Claims that they can cause illness are without any foundation.
“The vandalism is frustrating as it means we may have to revert to fixed time signals. That is moving us backwards, jeopardising the safety of commuters and pedestrians and making the driving experience worse on our roads.
“Deliberately damaging this equipment is both irresponsible and costly. So, we’re calling on the public to help us. We urge residents to report any suspicious behaviour around traffic signals, pedestrian crossings or associated highway equipment so we can stop this vandalism and spend money where you want it spent.”
This is criminal damage and can be reported to Warwickshire Police in any of the normal non-emergency ways. Either by phone – 101 Warwickshire or online at https://www.warwickshire.police.uk/
Ends
Notes to Editors
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Traffic signal detectors are used to identify the presence of vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists at signal-controlled junctions and crossings.
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Detector technology helps traffic signals respond to real-time demand, improving traffic flow and reducing unnecessary delays.
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The equipment does not record personal information and is not used for surveillance purposes.