Introduction to traffic signals

Abstract

It has been stated that the first traffic signal to be installed in Great Britain was erected in Westminster in 1868. It was illuminated by town gas and unfortunately for the future development of signals of this type was demolished by an explosion. Not until 1918 were signals used again for the control of highway traffic when manually operated three-colour light signals were introduced in New York. Some seven years later manually controlled signals were used in Piccadilly, followed in 1926 by the first automatic traffic signals in Great Britain, which were erected at Wolverhampton.