The Traffic Light Tree

You've seen Westminster, you've seen Trafalgar Square and in most likelihood you've seen Oxford Street. However London boasts far more than the clichéd locations within the pages of your standard travel guide. Some of the best and most unusual sights are sitting around the most unlikeliest of corners and unbeknown to most of the city.

Image Copyright Dan Scar 28/12/06   http://citynoise.org/article/4212

A prime example of this is a piece of sculpture referred to as the traffic light tree. It is set in the Docklands area, with a backdrop of Canary Wharf. The artist Pierre Vivant has been quoted explaining the nature of the sculpture and the choice of location: "The Sculpture imitates the natural landscape of the adjacent London Plane Trees, while the changing pattern of the lights reveals and reflect the never ending rhythm of the surrounding domestic, financial and commercial activities"

It is located on the roundabout at the junctions of Heron Quay Bank, Marsh Wall and Westferry Road.

An interesting observation of this sculpture is how the road users interact with it. The cognitive response of drivers who are unfamiliar with the area and haven't come into contact with the traffic light tree is to try and figure out how they are to progress past the roundabout despite mixed signals. The 'tree' contains 75 sets of lights which are each controlled by computer.

The traffic light tree was recognised as the favourite in survey commisioned by Saga Motor Insurance to find the best and worst roundabout in the country. It remains today to be just as unique as when it was initially installed.