The whole road system is designed for the benefit of cars. It's good that in Glasgow more and more folk are waking up to the fact that how car centric the city has become and most especially in the city centre.
Pedestrians need far more priority when crossing the roads. Those on foot are not contributing to the 26% of global greenhouse gas emissions caused by transport and should be suitably rewarded.
In general traffic lights should default to a permanent green man and a red for traffic and only change when approaching cars are detected. Alternativlely the green man sequence should commence the instant the call button is pressed by a pedestrian.
Charing Cross area and North Street at Anderston are perfect examples of how long it can take for lights to change in favour of those on foot. The green man should be on pretty much all the time and the cars can just wait.
Isolated crossing points on main routes of which there are many should have wait times eliminated and implemented now. Take for example South Street where there are a number of Pelican Crossings. The green man sequence should initiate immediately and at all times when the call button is pressed. Perhaps have a rule for no repitition within 1-2 minutes. It's that extra priority given that makes walking or cycling about the city more rewarding and will encourage more to do so. |