The “green person authority” trial of pedestrian crossings defaulting to a red traffic light was described in the Evening Standard as a “huge change coming to pedestrian crossings in London". How should people give their feedback on this trial?

I am committed to making London the world’s most walkable city and the introduction of green person authority at some pedestrian crossings is yet another action TfL has taken to make it easier and safer to travel on foot in the capital. Nearly half of all people who were tragically killed on London’s roads in 2020 were walking. Giving pedestrians priority at these crossings is an effective way of making it easier to cross London’s roads.

Following a successful trial of green person authority that started in 2018, 18 further pedestrian crossings across London have now been programmed to show a continuous green person signal until a vehicle is detected, making it easier and safer for people to cross the road and enabling more journeys on foot. TfL is continuing to identify new locations where green person authority crossings could be introduced. The locations where they are likely to be suitable and most beneficial are those with lower traffic levels. The trialling of green person authority at further locations across London will enable TfL to analyse pedestrian and traffic behaviour and identify any unforeseen safety issues. It is important that TfL continues to assess the impact of this technology and its suitability in certain locations, with the current sites having been specifically selected on the basis of both pedestrian and traffic flows.

While TfL does not generally consult when it changes signalling, it is always happy to receive feedback from customers. Anyone with feedback can contact TfL customer service by phone, email or social media or in writing. Details are available on the TfL website.

Journeys made on foot have soared throughout the pandemic with 31% of Londoners saying that they are now walking to places where they had previously frequently travelled by other means, and 57% of Londoners say they now go on more walks for exercise or walk for longer than they did before.

Thank you. My question really is about debating consultation rather than the policy itself, because the trial reverses the normal method of a pedestrian crossing working. As you say it is a red light and a green person and effectively the vehicle presses the button as it approaches with a sensor. It is a fundamental change and most people seem to have no idea that it is happening. Although it is being called a trial, there is no consultation.

The problem is that one of the lessons we have learned from the Low-Traffic Neighbourhood (LTN) discussion, which I certainly do not want to go into, is the difficulty of imposing things on people when they do not quite understand what is happening. Maybe they might be in favour of it if they understood it, but they do not quite understand it and so you generate a lot of a lot of backlash. My concern is with the lack of publicity, the lack of debate and the lack of consultation. This policy may end up going down the same self-defeating road.

My plea is that there could be some kind of consultation, rather than just the general TfL response feedback bucket, which I imagine is pretty full, a separate process just for people to give their thoughts on this. Is that something you could do?

The way that has been articulated is not unfair. Are there any particular schemes you are concerned about or trials that have been undertaken or is it the general principle?

It is both. You and I could have an interesting discussion about the merits of particular locations. For example, schools do generate a lot of pedestrian traffic at certain points of the day and certain times of the year. The one in Coulsdon, for example, generates almost no pedestrian traffic in that area otherwise. There is an argument for it being timed.

My point is that we can have this privileged discussion here because of the positions that we have. It is important that Londoners are able to be part of that conversation and not just you and me. That is why I am asking that there should be a specific process for people to give their feedback on all of them, not just the three of them in Croydon and Sutton.

Chair, I know the schemes. There are two in Sutton and one in Croydon. The pilot ends this summer and so they are coming towards an end. We will have to wait and see what the lessons to learn from them were. They are not suitable for other parts of your community or other parts of London. They are specific sites that are being piloted and it is part of the innovation from TfL.

Is there a plan to have more? Did you say just now there are intentions to look for more sites and to have more?

We will have to wait and see what the analysis of the first tranche says. One of the lessons to be learned is your very important point about residents not being aware they were happening and not being aware they were coming to an end, and them feeling they were being imposed on them without knowing about them. That is a really important point of principle. Let me take that away.

In relation to the pilots, those pilots will be analysed this summer. The reality is we will have to wait and see what the evidence from the pilots is. I will take on board the points about, if there was consideration about them being rolled out further and more expansively, seeing how people are involved before that happens for the reasons you alluded to.

Could you send that feedback to me? I am sure other Members would like it as well, but certainly at the very least I would like to see that feedback.

The analysis, you mean?

The analysis, yes.

Yes, of course, Chair, we can circulate that through normal channels.

Thanks.