Active Travel England (ATE) is considering introducing new guidance for councils that could increase the amount of time people have to cross the road.

ATE, an executive agency of the Department for Transport, is looking into revising the average walking speed used to set crossing times from 1.2 metres per second to 1 metre per second.

The change would give older people and people with disabilities more time to cross.

‘We want to enable millions more people to travel by walking, wheeling and cycling for short trips. A big part of that is being able to make sure crossing times are inclusive so that they give enough time for everyone to cross the road,’ an ATE spokesperson said.

‘Crossing times can be a challenge, particularly for elderly and disabled people, and a bad experience is enough to put someone off doing it.

‘We are aware of a number of transport authorities using sophisticated technology from their control centres to make changes to crossing times at certain points in the day.

‘Active Travel England is developing advice notes on critical issues for transport authorities and this includes crossing times.’

Correction/update: It is important to note that the 'green man' period is the invitation to start crossing period, and that the time pedestrians have to cross the road is actually the 'intergreen' period, which follows the green man. This is because a person starting to cross in the last moment of the green man period must still have adequate time to cross the road safely.