Traffic lights are so carefully crafted that they have served the country, unchanged, for six decades. And how many people realise these stalwarts of the roadscape are connected to dining tables in restaurants, embassies – even prisons and hospitals? As the British traffic light celebrates its 60th anniversary in operation this year, we met Corin Mellor and were given exclusive access to the original plans for it, drawn by his father, David Mellor.
David Mellor, born in 1920, had a humble upbringing in Sheffield, where his father was a toolmaker. He studied at the Royal College of Art in London, and designed a cutlery set called Pride as his final degree project. The government later commissioned him to create a utility range for public organisations, and another set went to British embassies worldwide. During a sabbatical in Rome, he was inspired by the city's lampposts and returned to Britain determined to change the street scene. He designed a lamppost, then a bus shelter and a litter bin, before turning his attention to road safety in the 1960s.
The government's Worboys Committee was launched to tackle Britain's worsening road safety record. Road signs were outdated, and traffic lights were jumbled, some dating back to 1926. In 1965, David Mellor was tasked with redesigning the traffic light. The brief required lights to be easier to see, incorporate more green filter arrows, and help pedestrians cross safely. His concept was a modular system of boxes with hinged doors for easy bulb replacement. He added a 2cm white border to make the fascia stand out, and flexible mountings to withstand vehicle impacts.
The new lights were made from durable, rust-free blow-moulded plastics with a matt, non-dazzle finish, requiring zero maintenance. Prototypes were trialled 60 years ago in London's Chelsea, complete with the distinctive pedestrian button box featuring red/green man signals. Corin Mellor notes that his father was involved in making the early pieces, adhering to 'truth to materials' and form following function.
