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20 June 2003: Carefully synchronising traffic lights can improve traffic flow at light or very heavy densities, but random sequencing may be better in medium-heavy flows, according to research carried out in Taiwan.

In an article published in Physical Review, researchers D W Huang and W N Huang found that clever synchronisation of lights at both ends of the traffic spectrum could keep traffic flowing smoothly, but in normal heavy traffic - typical daytime flow in a city - queues built up between sequential lights, and a lot of the time traffic was stuck on green, unable to move forward because the section in front of them wasn't clear.

In all situations they found that, unless the timing was very cleverly set up in relation to the flow, things were better with a random sequencing.

	June 2003 - Remi Blondet
Random traffic lights can be better 20 June 2003: Carefully synchronising traffic lights can improve traffic flow at light or very heavy densities, but random sequencing may be better in medium-heavy flows, according to research carried out in Taiwan. In an article published in Physical Review, researchers D W Huang and W N Huang found that clever synchronisation of lights at both ends of the traffic spectrum could keep traffic flowing smoothly, but in normal heavy traffic - typical daytime flow in a city - queues built up between sequential lights, and a lot of the time traffic was stuck on green, unable to move forward because the section in front of them wasn't clear. In all situations they found that, unless the timing was very cleverly set up in relation to the flow, things were better with a random sequencing.
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