Green man should light up longer to aid OAPs

TRAFFIC should be made to wait longer at pedestrian crossings to allow the elderly and disabled more time to get across, health officials say.

Many are discouraged from going out and staying active because they find it difficult to cross the road, they warn.

Parents with prams are also affected.

Department for Transport guidelines say the green man should light up at crossings for between four and nine seconds, depending on the road’s width. It flashes for another six seconds, plus an extra second for every 4ft of road width.

But a 2014 study by University College London found the average crossing requires pedestrians to walk at 1.2m (3.9ft) a second – while the average walking speed among over-6 s was just 0.9m/s for men and 0.8m/s for women.

In draft guidance published yesterday, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice), said councils must ensure crossings are accessible for all, including ensuring everyone has enough time.

Professor Mark Baker, of Nice, said the aim was to ‘overcome barriers to people being more active’, adding: ‘Safe, accessible streets ... can help people to get active and live longer, healthier lives.’

Motoring groups also backed the move. Steve Gooding, of the RAC Foundation, urged patience from ‘the minority of drivers who groan at the thought of being stuck at lights’.