Transport for London has modified 18 pedestrian crossings to prioritise those on foot over vehicles.
TfL said the crossings have been programmed to show a continuous ‘green person’ signal until a car, van or lorry approaches. The change is part of a plan to ‘help make the capital’s transport network even more sustainable and support a green recovery from the coronavirus pandemic’.
According to TfL, crossings will show the green light until a vehicle is detected, which makes it easier for people to cross the road and enables more walking journeys to be completed.
The number of people walking in London has increased during the pandemic. At one point last year, the number of journeys made on foot increased from 35 percent to almost 50 percent.
Although just 18 pedestrian crossings use the new system, it is likely to be rolled out to other locations in future. A TfL spokesperson told the Telegraph it intends to “increase the number over the coming years”.
‘The world’s most walkable city’
“Walking has so many benefits – it doesn’t just enable us to get from A to B, but also improves our mental and physical health,” said Will Norman, London’s walking and cycling commissioner.
“We know that safety is a key concern for people walking around London, and giving pedestrians priority is a powerful way of putting them first and making it easier to cross London’s roads.
“By combining this with creating extra pavement space and ensuring roadworks are carried out in a way that doesn’t disrupt Londoners, we will make our city the world’s most walkable and eradicate collisions on our streets.”
Nick Owen, TfL’s head of network performance, added: “We know that walking is a brilliant way for people to make local journeys, boosting activity levels while cutting the number of car trips and the associated congestion and pollution they can cause.”
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