Pedestrian countdown boxes, designed to increase safety and curb impatience, have been put in place by Dublin Corporation at two busy crossing points in the city centre.
The countdown timers, boxes mounted on traffic lights which count down the seconds from 30 until the "green man" appears, are in operation on the north side of the Ha'penny Bridge and the north side of the Millennium Bridge, their first installation points in the city.
Dublin Corporation introduced the boxes at the beginning of October. "It's an idea we came up with ourselves," says Mr Brendan O'Brien, head of the development unit in Dublin Corporation which is overseeing the operation of the timers.
There were two reasons for introducing the timers, Mr O'Brien said. "Firstly, people can see something specific happening, instead of just hitting a button and waiting. And, secondly, it aims to discourage people from making their way across the road before the pedestrian lights have changed to green."
The new timers are prototype models specially made in the State. The corporation is currently monitoring the technology and observing pedestrians to determine whether they are aware of them.
At the moment, the timers are in place on a trial basis only. Mr O'Brien says that additional boxes may be introduced at other crossing points after the corporation has studied their effectiveness. "From our initial vox pop surveys, people seem to notice and respond to them," he said.
The trial installations are at crossing points with heavy pedestrian traffic: an estimated 25,000 people cross the Ha'penny Bridge on a Saturday. Other, less busy traffic crossings could be programmed for different countdown times, Mr O'Brien added.