Traffic lights ‘forcing pedestrians to sprint’
Age UK calls for change in timings, fearing pedestrians may have to sprint between vehicles
Elderly pedestrians should be allowed more time to cross the road, Age UK has argued, after complaints over newly installed traffic lights that allow less than 10 seconds to navigate city-centre junctions. Politicians have echoed fears that people traversing Britain’s busiest cities are being forced to “sprint” across roads. Age UK has now called on traffic lights to be redesigned to accommodate elderly and disabled people as well as parents walking with pushchairs and toddlers.
ELDERLY pedestrians should be allowed more time to cross the road, Age UK has argued, after complaints over newly installed traffic lights that give walkers less than 10 seconds to navigate city-centre junctions.
Politicians have echoed fears that people exploring Britain’s busiest cities on foot are being forced to “sprint” between traffic because of the short time given before the lights go green.
The issue came to a head after concerns were raised with Transport for London over new lights opposite Highbury and Islington underground station, in north London, where pedestrians are given nine seconds to cross a 50ft stretch of road. Residents and commuters in Highbury say the situation has become a “disaster waiting to happen”. One of them, Sam Sleight, said: “Not on. It’s inaccessible for people that walk under 5mph.”
Caroline Russell, an Islington councillor who represents Highbury East ward, said the new lights needed urgent attention.
Ms Russell, who also sits on the London Assembly, said: “I have seen lots of people are crossing in gaps and there is a lot of confusion in the new system. People feel that it is an unreasonable amount of time to wait for such a short time to cross.
“The green man stays on for five seconds and then the blackout period is just nine seconds. Then you have to wait nearly two minutes for the next green man. If you’re in a wheelchair or walking with small children you need enough time when you get across the road. What it feels like is that the pedestrians are being left with scraps of time whereas the roundabout traffic is being given a lot more priority.”
Age UK has now called on traffic lights to be redesigned to accommodate elderly and disabled people as well as parents walking with pushchairs and toddlers.
Caroline Abrahams, the group’s charity director, said: “Allowing a few more seconds shouldn’t be too much to ask and would be appreciated by many pedestrians, without overly inconveniencing road users.”
Department for Transport guidelines for pelican crossings state the timings for flashing green or amber signals should normally be set at six seconds plus one second for each 1.2 metrestretch of crossing over six metres in length, but the controller is capable of extending that to a maximum of 18 seconds.
A spokesman for Transport for London said: “We will keep the junction under observation as Londoners get used to the new layout, and will finetune the timings to ensure that the needs of all users of this busy junction are balanced.”