The Return of the Traffic Light Tree
Wandering past Billingsgate Market before Christmas I was pleasantly surprised by the reappearance of a once familiar sight .
Pierre Vivant’s “Traffic Light Tree” was previously located on a roundabout near Canary Wharf, at the junctions of Heron Quay Bank, Marsh Wall and Westferry Road. When it was installed in 1998 and long afterwards it caused confusion to many drivers, however it soon became a firm favourite and became quite famous being voted the Top Roundabout by a motorist organisation.
When the sculpture was removed in 2011 by Tower Hamlets Council, there was a campaign led by local councillor Gloria Thienel to find an alternative site in the area for the sculpture.
At last a new home has been found and the tree can start confusing drivers once again.
The ‘Tree’ is 8 Metres high and contains 75 computer operated sets of lights.
In its previous home at Westferry