First gear or neutral at traffic lights?

Neutral is the right course of action

Wrong Furry Animal, must always be in neutral. Janette is correct.

when you stop at traffic lights. Pause before putting handbrake on then if lights change put car into first then drive off. If lights are on red for sometime then apply hand brake then change to first. It does not matter if you are in first gear waiting as the clutch is fully down. some pupils like to leave in neutral then time the lights for gear change. Either way is ok

Janette,

The car should be in neutral when waiting at traffic lights. Some traffic lights take longer to change, so you will end up wearing the clutch if you wait in first gear with your foot on the clutch. With the handbrake on, the car is secured and will not be propelled forward if somebody bumps into you from the back. When the traffic lights change from red to amber, that's when you change into first gear so that you're ready to go when green is shown.