Whether it is crossing the road before the green man disappears, finding a spot to pause for breath, or identifying a landmark by which to navigate, getting out and about can be a challenge, particularly for older people or those with health problems.
Now experts say an array of measures could help make towns and cities more friendly for the modern population, whose lives have become longer and waistlines larger.
Among the proposed changes is an increase in the time given to people to cross the road.
An Active Travel England (ATE) spokesperson said: “We want to enable millions more people to travel by walking, wheeling and cycling for short trips. A big part of that is being able to make sure crossing times are inclusive so that they give enough time for everyone to cross the road.”
According to 2019 guidance from the Department for Transport (DfT), the assumed speed at which people cross a road can be decreased from 1.2 metres a second to 1 metre a second where there is a large number of slower pedestrians, for example. Few councils, however, have adopted the change.
The shift is expected to be incorporated into guidance from ATE and linked to council funding.
While ATE said the guidance was still being finalised, it said changes to crossing times could be particularly beneficial for older people.
A study published in 2012 by researchers at University College London found that among people aged 65 or older, 76% of men and 85% of women had a walking speed below the 1.2 metres per second needed to use a pedestrian crossing.
“Crossing times can be a challenge, particularly for elderly and disabled people, and a bad experience is enough to put someone off doing it,” the ATE spokesperson said.
Stephen Edwards, the chief executive of the charity Living Streets, said the shift to a lower assumed walking speed would be welcome, noting the current value was calculated in the 1950s and had not changed since.
“People walking and wheeling shouldn’t have to race to get to safety. These updated guidelines are a step in the right direction,” he said.
The charity, which runs a number of campaigns to improve accessibility, is also calling for pedestrian crossings to stop the traffic more quickly, noting people were more likely to take risks when crossing roads if the delay was more than 30 seconds.
Better walkways also matter, it notes, with the charity’s research showing 31% of over-65s are prevented from walking on their local streets because of cracked pavements. Meanwhile, clutter-free pavements – cleared of badly parked scooters, wheelie bins and poorly placed signage – would improve safety by removing obstacles.
Edwards said more public toilets and places to pause when walking would be another good outcome.
“Places to rest are incredibly important for people who can’t walk long distances, including older people, those with chronic conditions or families with young children,” he said.
“We want people to walk more of their everyday journeys to improve health and reduce congestion. However, if people don’t have places to stop and rest or access to public bathrooms, they simply won’t make the journey or will be forced into using less sustainable and less active ways to get around.”
Caroline Abrahams, the charity director at Age UK, also stressed the importance of such features for older people, adding good local amenities and public spaces also mattered. “Living a long fulfilling life is something we pretty much all aspire to, but one of the most important factors in helping us to live well for longer is our local environment,” she said.
With the number of people with dementia in the UK expected to rise from almost 900,000 in 2021 to 1.6 million in 2040, experts have also pointed to adaptations that could help those with such conditions. These include legible street signs, streets laid out in an irregular grid pattern, uncomplicated junctions, and distinctive features placed at decision points such as junctions.
But experts say it is not only elderly people, or those with dementia, who should be kept in mind.
Dr Rachel Colls at Durham University noted that there were also actions that could be taken to make urban spaces size-inclusive, such as making seating larger, that would also be beneficial for public transport. In this context having seats with movable arms, expandable seat belts and the capacity to book two seats if required would make these spaces more accessible, she said.
But, Colls added, it was not just the built environment that needed to change, but also the social one.
“Being a fat person in public space is difficult because attitudes towards fat people are so hostile,” she said. “That is what makes urban public spaces inaccessible: the fear of being judged, called names and being discriminated against.”
