Highways bosses will investigate ways to give pedestrians greater priority on the roads – with the help of the green man signalling.

Currently anyone on foot has to press a button on a pedestrian crossing and then wait for the lights to change, before they can cross the road.

But now Hertfordshire County Council will decide whether the ‘green man authority signals’ should be changed so pedestrians have right of way.

That means the green man would stay on – instead of the red man – and the lights would only change if traffic was detected.

The move – which gives priority to pedestrians instead of cars – is set to be trialled in five locations in London.

On Friday (September 14), members of the county council’s Highways and Environment Cabinet Panel agreed to investigate a similar pilot scheme in Hertfordshire.

Following the meeting, a spokesman for Hertfordshire County Council said: “We are watching with interest the trials taking place in London with regard to the change in the ‘green man’ authority signals.

“This is where a green signal is displayed continuously for those on foot, until traffic is detected. Should these trials be successful we will investigate possible locations leading to a potential pilot scheme in Hertfordshire.

“This is in line and supportive of the recently adopted Local Transport Plan 4 which aims to increase the uptake of sustainable modes and encourage shorter trips to be made by foot bike and passenger transport in urban areas.”

LTP4, which was adopted by the county council earlier this year sets out to encourage more walking and cycling.

It is a move away from a car based strategy “to a more balanced approach which caters for all forms of transport and seeks to encourage a switch from the private car to sustainable transport”. It advocates a blended approach to transport for the future.

“A blended strategic approach combining improvements in walking, cycling and passenger transport and highways provision is seen as optimum, accompanied by efforts to achieve travel behaviour change,” it states.

In July a motion was put to a meeting of full council calling for a review of policies relating to cyclists and pedestrians.

The county council’s South West Growth and Transport Plan contains a number of schemes and packages aimed at promoting walking and cycling.