Corporation Secretary Mr. Roger Sherratt said yesterday it would take about two months to complete the work.

A set of new lights was installed at the top of Queen Street earlier this week, although they are not yet operational.

And plans are underway to repair and place new equipment in the three sets of lights east of the junction of Queen and Church Street as far as Burnaby Street, so that they can be synchronised.

"One of the reasons we have started this project, is that we have noticed an increase in the number of people using the crosswalk at lunchtime,'' Mr.

Sherratt said.

"We think this is due to those new office blocks on Bermudiana Road. What often happens is that people cross individually and this blocks traffic down Queen and Reid Streets.

"The lights set up at Queen Street will control the pedestrian crossing and it will be linked to the other three sets of lights so that they will each change to green one after the other allowing one continuous flow.'' He said the lights will be fitted with devices that will respond to the amount of traffic congestion.

This means that during the busier times pedestrians will have a longer wait before they can cross, but during the less busy periods the lights will operate on a demand basis.

A second set of lights at the junctions of Church and Parliament Streets and Church and Court Streets will also be repaired and linked up so they can be synchronised for the easy flow of both pedestrians and traffic.

Mr. Sherratt wished to dispel rumours that the Corporation used the cameras mounted on top of traffic lights to watch motorists.

"We get a lot of calls from members of the public about video camers on top of some street lights, but they are just microwave detectors that monitor the flow of traffic so that the light knows when to change.

"They are more efficient then the older models which detected traffic movements using underground paths, but these will gradually be phased out because the (microwave detectors) are more efficient and easier to service.'' NEW LIGHTS -- The Corporation of Hamilton installed traffic lights at the top of Queen Street recently to help ease congestion caused by more people using the crosswalk, especially during the lunch hour.