Northern Light
Superstar
Does it really matter
Yes, it does.
It matters both for the reason @Steve X notes above, the need to maintain proper headway; but its also about total trip time (the faster the trip, the more competitive it is with the car, and the more cost effectively the route can be run (fewer vehicles relative to capacity when trip times are shorter).
I'd add one more reason it matters, people actually on transit grow rightly infuriated sitting at a red light that needn't be impacting the service.
I hate taking the Spadina LRT because of the pattern of endless stops, first on the nearside of an intersection, at a red light, then again on the farside, at the stop.
If the stops were on the nearside of intersections it would be less of an issue; but, for the most part, they aren't.




