More than half of England's traffic signal infrastructure is at 'life-expiry' levels of deterioration, according to industry body ITS UK, which has launched a Stuck on Red campaign to tackle the issue.

ITS UK released a RAG rated heatmap of England's traffic signal infrastructure, showing 51% of assets are at life-expiry, with a two-year projection suggesting this will deteriorate to 61% if not addressed.

ITS UK called for a targeted rolling programme of investment in traffic signal upgrades, arguing it would 'quickly see returns from reduced costs for local authorities'.

Max Sugarman, chief executive of ITS UK, said: 'We are reaching a point where many of these assets are life expired, or soon to reach expiry. This is a risk to our road users and a cost burden on local authorities with tight budgets, as well as a missed opportunity to effectively unlock innovation, and use technology to deliver safer, more efficient and more sustainable journeys.

'Through our Stuck on Red campaign, we are making the case for targeted investment in this essential infrastructure. With relatively small levels of funding, we can unlock significant benefits for road users, businesses and the wider economy.'

Paul Campion, CEO of TRL, said: 'Across the UK, ordinary people and businesses are seeing the impact of ageing traffic technology every day, from rising congestion and emissions to missed opportunities to improve safety and network performance.

'Modernising traffic technology does not need to be expensive or complex. Open, flexible systems can help authorities renew ageing assets, avoid long-term lock in and deliver safer, cleaner and more reliable networks. #StuckonRed highlights the urgency of acting now, because other sectors, from telecoms to rail and energy, have shown that delaying renewal only leads to higher costs, reduced resilience and lost opportunities when ageing systems finally fail.'

Wilke Reints, MD of Yunex Traffic, said: 'The Stuck on Red campaign rightly shines a light on an issue that those working with local authorities see every day. Ageing traffic signal infrastructure is increasingly difficult and costly to maintain, and it limits our ability to deliver safer, more reliable and more sustainable journeys.

'Modern, well-maintained signals are a foundation for reducing congestion, improving road safety and enabling future innovation such as connected and automated vehicles. Yunex Traffic strongly supports the call for a targeted, rolling programme of investment that helps authorities move away from reactive maintenance and towards long-term value.'

As part of the campaign, ITS UK will publish new evidence and analysis – including heatmaps on the state of traffic signals in Scotland and Wales – and engage directly with policymakers and ITS UK members to highlight the real-world impact of ageing infrastructure.