Red traffic light signs banned in NSW as police beef up patrols

RED TINY traffic lights have been banned from Sydney’s main roads, as police in New South Wales beef up their patrols to combat the increasing number of deaths in the city linked to road accidents.

The red traffic lights will be banned from major roads in the state from Saturday as part of a pilot project to reduce the number of fatal road crashes.

The scheme will run for three months.

Police Commissioner John Chisholm said the scheme was aimed at reducing the number and frequency of crashes.

“There are many deaths in New York City, and we know that we have a very high rate of traffic deaths in our city, so we have to be doing something to try and reduce those numbers,” he said.

“And the best way to do that is to reduce those deaths in your city.”

New South Wales has the highest number of traffic fatalities in the country with 1,719 in 2015, according to a report released on Friday by the National Safety Council.

More than 40,000 people died in New England in 2015.

A police spokesman said the changes would go into effect from Saturday.

“Police have been on a proactive safety awareness programme in our communities and on roads to ensure that motorists are aware of the risks they are taking on our roads,” the spokesman said.

Police in Sydney are expected to be out on the roads again on Saturday.