Giving elderly people longer to cross the road could encourage more of them to enjoy their local parks and open spaces Phil Noble/ReutersPelican crossings should hold traffic for longer to allow elderly and disabled people more time to reach the other side of the road and to improve their enjoyment of the outdoors, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has said. The healthcare watchdog has asked councils to implement the changes to give the elderly or disabled better access to the countryside and urban facilities. Nice said parents with prams are also inconvenienced at pedestrian crossings. Cars parked on pavements and bins all create a barrier to getting out of the house, it added. Mark Baker, director of the centre for guidelines at Nice, said: “It should not matter whether you are on foot, in a wheelchair, have a visual impairment or if you’re a…

Source: The Times August 21, 2017 23:48 UTC