VULNERABLE pedestrians are being given too little time to cross major roads in Wanstead and Woodford because key traffic signals do not meet national guidelines.

At least five crossings in the area do not give walkers the statutory minimum amount of time between when the green man disappears and the amber signal switches on - leaving many elderly and disabled users stranded in the middle of the road when the lights change.

The signals - in Woodford Green High Road, Wanstead High Street and Chigwell Road - are among a list of more than 450 across London which have yet to be re-programmed to increase the ‘blackout’ period before motorists are allowed to move off.

Pensioner Alan Kilpatrick, 82, of Churchfields, South Woodford, criticised Transport for London (TfL) for failing to bring the borough’s signals up to scratch since the regulations were first introduced in 2005.

He said: “They’ve had more than enough time to sort this out but they obviously see the safety of pedestrians as a low priority.

“People who can’t walk very well often can’t get across the road in time, and you get lots of thoughtless drivers who simply pull out before you are all the way to the other side.

“They should get these signals fixed immediately.”

Elderly pedestrians in South Woodford have told the Guardian they no longer feel confident to use one of the affected signals in the High Road - opposite the entrance to Waitrose - because of the lack of time it gives them to cross the road.

Frank Cruder, of Chelmsford Road, South Woodford, says residents both young and old are having to ‘take their lives into their own hands’ just to get across the street during busy periods.

He said: “The crossing outside Waitrose is difficult for some pedestrians to use, and there is another traffic signal further up the road near to the entrance to Queen Mary’s Gate which doesn’t even have a green man sign on it.

“Older people, and mothers taking their children home after school need safer crossings than these.”

A spokesman for TfL said: “The vast majority - 90 per cent - of pedestrian crossings already meet the very latest guidelines and we are working hard to upgrade the remaining sites.

“All of these crossings are safe and have always provided a safe crossing time.

“We have already upgraded more than 300 sites – in fact 13 have been upgraded since this information was provided so there are now 459 sites scheduled for upgrade as soon as possible.”