Gothenburg's Järntorget traffic lights removed

Gothenburg turned off the traffic lights at Järntorget square on Monday. The intersection was already difficult to navigate before the change. Now residents face new challenges crossing this busy area. Katarina Eeg-Olofsson expressed concern about cycling through the square. She said she avoids biking through there whenever possible. The removal creates a shared space where pedestrians, cyclists and cars must negotiate right of way. Järntorget sits in central Gothenburg near the historic Haga district. This square connects several major streets in Sweden's second-largest city. Traffic planners hope the change will slow vehicles and improve safety. But the immediate effect appears to be confusion and hesitation. Removing traffic signals represents a growing European trend toward shared spaces. The approach aims to reduce accidents by increasing eye contact between road users. Gothenburg's experiment will test whether Swedish drivers adapt to this new system. Will the square become safer or more dangerous without traffic lights?