Government officials are believed to be considering adding extra seconds to the flashing “green man” at crosswalks to give elderly and disabled people more time to cross the road, reports The Mirror.
The government has set up a special task force to look into traffic management and pedestrian lighting.
Ireland has the oldest population in Europe and our obesity levels are at the top of the European charts.
The proposal to add overtime is being brought to the UK and it is understandable that Ireland may follow suit in the near future, reports The Mirror.
In the UK, the current 6.1 seconds allows people to move in both lanes at an average speed of 1.2 meters per second – but many now find it difficult to move that fast.
They will now have 20% more time with an increase to 7.3 seconds, allowing them to safely pass at a speed of one meter per second.
An official spokesman for the Department of Transport here told the Mirror: “The timings of crossings are set out in the Traffic Signs Manual. Each location is designed by competent technical designers and subsequently evaluated post installation by independent Road Safety Auditors who will advise if alterations may be necessary for vulnerable road users,” reports The Mirror.
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