COUNCIL bosses are to alter the timing of traffic lights at a key city centre junction – to make it easier, quicker and safer for pedestrians to cross the road.

They say changes to the timing of traffic lights at the junction of Blossom Street, Queen Street, Nunnery Lane and Micklegate will ‘significantly reduce the amount of time pedestrians wait to cross’.

Many pedestrians have to wait for up to three minutes to cross the road at the junction, and the temptation is to give up waiting for the ‘green man’ and cross while it is still red – potentially putting lives at risk.

It is hoped the new trial scheme - one of the first projects to prioritise pedestrians in line with the city’s new Local Transport Strategy (LTS) and Movement and Place Plan Framework adopted last month – will put a stop to that.

“The aim of this trial is to enable more people to walk and wheel in this part of York,” a council spokesperson said.

“Currently this junction – which was identified by residents in the LTS consultation as an area of concern – has one of the longest traffic light cycles of any junction in York, leaving pedestrians waiting for up to three minutes before being able to cross the road. The trial seeks to significantly reduce that wait.”

York Civic Trust’s Transport Advisory Group organised volunteers to help the council collect data both before and during the trial, to understand the impact on pedestrians, wheelers, cyclists, public transport and other motor vehicles.

“Data collected so far shows that over 700 pedestrians per hour cross at peak times and as many as a third of those give up waiting for the green man and cross early – potentially endangering more vulnerable pedestrians who may follow," the council spokesperson said.

The trial is set to start in mid-August and is planned to run until late September 2024. The council will closely monitor the trial and the impact it has on people’s ability to move around the city, and will carefully weigh up the benefits and any potential disadvantages to all road users.

The results of the trial will be analysed and findings will inform the new policy on traffic signal operation in the city. The results will also inform any future improvements to pedestrian priority at other junctions across the city.

Cllr Kate Ravilious, the authority’s executive member for transport, said: “Reducing the wait time for pedestrians at this junction will make it safer and less frustrating for people crossing the road at this busy location.

“We’re very grateful to York Civic Trust for supporting us with this trial and we’re keen to see what kind of difference these small changes will make.”

Chris Polack, Chair of the civic trust's Transport Advisory Group, added: "York Civic Trust is pleased to be able to work collaboratively with council officers to make an early start on implementing the Local transport Strategy.

"I am confident the reduction in pedestrian wait times will deliver real benefit for all users of York’s transport network."