Pedestrian crossing signals will be left on green man at 18 sets of lights

Pedestrian crossing signals will be left on green man at 18 sets of lights in London unless traffic is approaching under plans to make capital a ‘walkable city’

  • 18 crossings in London will be altered with ‘green person authority’ technology
  • Forms part of Transport for London’s bid to make the capital a ‘walkable city’ 
  • The 18 lights will be in Bishopsgate, Smithfield, Richmond and Tower Hamlets

Pedestrian crossing signals will be left on the ‘green man’ at 18 sets of lights London unless traffic is approaching under plans to make the capital a ‘walkable city’.

The crossings will be altered with ‘green person authority’ technology which detects approaching cars before the end of June in a bid to enable more journeys on foot.

It forms part of Transport for London’s (TfL) bid to make the capital ‘more sustainable’ and to ‘support a green recovery from the coronavirus pandemic’.

Earlier this month, newly re-elected Mayor of London Sadiq Khan pledged to be ‘the greenest Mayor London’s ever had’ as he vowed to ‘put the environment and climate policies at the heart’ of his second term.

The 18 lights will be in areas including Bishopsgate, Smithfield, Richmond and Tower Hamlets, TfL revealed in an announcement on Thursday.

So far, seven locations have already been upgraded – with 11 more sights to follow.

So far, seven locations have been upgraded – with 11 more sights to follow. Pictured: A map showing where the lights are already in place and where they will be installed 

The scheme first kicked off in 2018, when the technology was trialed at five crossings.

The number of journeys on foot has hugely increased throughout the pandemic.

TfL data from earlier this year shows that 31 per cent of Londoners say they are walking to places where they used to travel by a different mode.

Meanwhile, 57 per cent say they now go on more walks for exercise or walk for longer than they did before. 

The crossings will be altered with 'green person authority' technology which detects approaching cars before the end of June in a bid to enable more journeys on foot (file image)

 The crossings will be altered with ‘green person authority’ technology which detects approaching cars before the end of June in a bid to enable more journeys on foot (file image)

At one point last year, the number of journeys made on foot increased from 35 per cent to almost 50 per cent. 

TfL chose the locations where ‘green person authority’ will be installed based on a number of factors, including high pedestrian flow, proximity to pedestrian destinations such as stations, and suitability of existing technology. 

London’s walking and cycling commissioner Will Norman said: ‘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.

‘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.

Earlier this month, newly re-elected Mayor of London Sadiq Khan (pictured) pledged to be 'the greenest Mayor London's ever had' as he vowed to 'put the environment and climate policies at the heart' of his second term

Earlier this month, newly re-elected Mayor of London Sadiq Khan (pictured) pledged to be ‘the greenest Mayor London’s ever had’ as he vowed to ‘put the environment and climate policies at the heart’ of his second term

‘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.

‘We’re determined to make it easier for people to cross the road and to give people the space they need to walk safely, and these initiatives will make a difference in enabling more people to access local high streets, shops and other businesses in a sustainable way.’

And Mary Creagh, Chief Executive of UK walking charity Living Streets said: ‘Everybody should be able to cross the road safely, directly and without delay. Putting pedestrians first at crossings will make streets safer for everyone.

‘This exciting initiative to switch to a default green person gives power back to pedestrians, helping them move around more easily, safely and quickly.’