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Green man 'too fast for slow elderly' | Green man 'too fast for slow elderly' |
(about 9 hours later) | |
Pedestrian crossings do not allow older people enough time to cross the road, a report warns. | Pedestrian crossings do not allow older people enough time to cross the road, a report warns. |
The study found that for those over the age of 65, 76% of men and 85% of women have a walking speed slower than that needed to use a pedestrian crossing. | The study found that for those over the age of 65, 76% of men and 85% of women have a walking speed slower than that needed to use a pedestrian crossing. |
This speed is set by the Department for Transport at 4ft (1.2m) per second - an international standard. | |
The work, published in the journal Age and Ageing, calls for current pedestrian times to be reviewed. | |
Local transport minister Norman Baker said: "In my experience, the vast majority of people, young or old, get across the road as quickly as they can. | Local transport minister Norman Baker said: "In my experience, the vast majority of people, young or old, get across the road as quickly as they can. |
"The department recommends that where a crossing may be used by a large number of older people or those with mobility issues, for example outside residential care homes, this should be taken into account in the timings set by local authorities." | "The department recommends that where a crossing may be used by a large number of older people or those with mobility issues, for example outside residential care homes, this should be taken into account in the timings set by local authorities." |
Speed tests | Speed tests |
Dr Laura Asher, report leader and public health expert at University College London, said: "Walking is an important activity for older people as it provides regular exercise and direct health benefits. | Dr Laura Asher, report leader and public health expert at University College London, said: "Walking is an important activity for older people as it provides regular exercise and direct health benefits. |
"Being unable to cross a road may deter them from walking, reducing their access to social contacts and interaction, local health services and shops that are all important in day-to-day life. | |
"Having insufficient time at a road crossing may not increase the risk of pedestrian fatalities but it will certainly deter this group from even trying to cross the road. | "Having insufficient time at a road crossing may not increase the risk of pedestrian fatalities but it will certainly deter this group from even trying to cross the road. |
She added: "The groups of people identified in this study as the most vulnerable were those living in deprived areas - those least likely to have access to other, more expensive, forms of transport." | She added: "The groups of people identified in this study as the most vulnerable were those living in deprived areas - those least likely to have access to other, more expensive, forms of transport." |
The study used walking speed tests from around 3,000 older adults performed by the Health Survey (HSE) for England in 2005. | The study used walking speed tests from around 3,000 older adults performed by the Health Survey (HSE) for England in 2005. |
The participant's normal walking speed was assessed by timing how long it took them to walk 8ft (2.5m) at their normal pace. | |
The average walking speed for older men was 3 ft (0.9m) per second and 2.6ft per second for older women. | |
Dr Asher said: "By testing people in the general population rather than those already using a pedestrian crossing, we have included people who may have difficulty using a pedestrian crossing and are therefore unwilling to use them." | Dr Asher said: "By testing people in the general population rather than those already using a pedestrian crossing, we have included people who may have difficulty using a pedestrian crossing and are therefore unwilling to use them." |
'Countdown' display | |
The lights at pedestrian crossing have a number of stages. | The lights at pedestrian crossing have a number of stages. |
On an average road, the green man will stay lit for around 4 seconds. It then has a flashing or blackout stage for around 6 seconds. For roads more than 20ft (6m) wide, an extra second is added for each additional 4ft (1.2m). | |
After this there are an extra few seconds of an all-red light as a safety margin. | |
To help pedestrians cross the road, Transport for London had been introducing "pedestrian countdown" technology to the capital. | |
This aims to help those crossing the road to be able to better judge whether they have enough time to do so safety - a digital display counts down between the end of the green man signal and the red man appearing, rather than just a flashing green man or blackout period. | This aims to help those crossing the road to be able to better judge whether they have enough time to do so safety - a digital display counts down between the end of the green man signal and the red man appearing, rather than just a flashing green man or blackout period. |