§ 10. Mr. Andrew Bowdenasked the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to publish his consultation paper concerning the timings for the flashing green man used at pelican crossings.
§ Mrs. ChalkerConsultation has already taken place on procedures to amend the signal phasings and other aspects of the procedure at pelican crossings. We have been doing further work in the light of the comments received and I hope to bring forward the necessary revised regulations shortly.
§ Mr. BowdenIs my hon. Friend aware that there are too many green men flashing for too long? What is needed is a longer time at a stationary position. Elderly people find that they get about one third of the way across, the green man starts to flash, and they then go back again. Will she please consider the problem in relation to the elderly and in particular those using zimmers?
§ Mrs. ChalkerI am only too happy to assist my hon. Friend. I agree that the precedence of pedestrians over 9 vehicles during the steady flashing green man phases is not always understood. To deal with that problem we have proposed, in consultation, that the change from the red to the flashing amber phase in the driver's signal be delayed for two seconds, to give pedestrians more security on the wider crossings. That consultation has attracted strong support among the consultees, and we hope very shortly to be able to improve pelican crossings.