The upgraded Tuam St and High St has 19 traffic light poles, which has been called "kinda overkill".

A central Christchurch intersection will soon be controlled by 19 traffic light poles, with one local business owner reminded of the busy streets of Tokyo.

The lights, at the corner of High and Tuam streets, will guide pedestrian, cycle, vehicle and tram traffic.

Initially it was thought there were 18 poles, but the council said there were in fact 19 poles.

They were yet to be installed, but locals and urban design experts have criticised the traffic management plans.

Before the earthquakes in 2010 and 2011, the intersection had no traffic signals.

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GEORGE HEARD/FAIRFAX NZ The Intersection of Tuam St and High St has lights for cars, walkers and cyclists, and the tram.

Other central city intersections visited on Wednesday have about nine lights.

Student Ben Brewer walked across the intersection regularly and said the traffic light set-up was confusing and "kind of overkill".

"Is it necessary? I could safely say I don't understand, considering I can see at least four of them facing the same direction."

GEORGE HEARD/FAIRFAX NZ There are 19 full-sized traffic light poles and one waist-high pole for a bicycle crossing at the intersection of Tuam St and High St.

C1 Espresso owner Sam Crofskey said: "I can't imagine what city in the world has more traffic lights on one intersection . . . maybe somewhere in Tokyo?"

"It's such a [visually] noisy thing to look at . . . it's peak traffic management."

The idea of the traffic lights improving safety of the area did not wash with Crofskey, whose business has been on the intersection for 20 years.



"It's not to say they haven't happened, but we haven't seen a single accident on that corner," he said.



Urban designer James Lunday had not seen the traffic plan for the intersection, but said 18 poles "does sound like quite a lot".

"There is an international movement in urban design to de-clutter areas from signage and poles.



"In fact, there are whole towns in England that have gotten rid of traffic lights altogether."

Urban designer James Lunday visits Portland's Pearl District, where fewer road signs meant cars naturally slowed for other road users. Credit: Gerard Smyth / Frank Film

Lunday said drivers in unregulated traffic areas thought more about their driving.

"The more you [try to control traffic], the less people think.

"When you take that away, people drive in their cars and behave in a civil manner towards the more vulnerable road users like cyclists and pedestrians."

During a recent trip to Portland, Oregon, Lunday said a proactive lack of road signs in their Pearl District meant cars naturally slowed for other road users.

The Christchurch City Council could not provide the cost of the traffic poles, nor why 19 traffic signals were needed to control the intersection on Wednesday.

Another regular user of the area, who preferred not to be named, said it looked confusing but they might make more sense once the lights were turned on.

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