CROSSING the road in North Somerset could soon get quicker, with plans to upgrade pedestrian crossings to make wait times shorter.

Speeding up wait times at pedestrian crossings to prioritise pedestrians is one of several “green infrastructure” investments planned as part of a strategy to boost health and wellbeing.

It is hoped that cutting down the time people stand waiting for the green man will encourage more people to walk and cycle.

A report to North Somerset Council’s Health and Wellbeing board on March 1 said: “This project is part of a wider effort to improve our active travel network.

“Individual impacts of reconfiguring one crossing [are] likely to be small but will add up over time and across the whole population to increase the number of active travel users.

“This is an important step as we look to decarbonise our transport network and promote the many health and wellbeing and economic benefits of active travel.”

A third of all crossings in North Somerset could be reconfigured to reduce wait times, subject to funding bids, with those near schools, healthcare facilities, and in more deprived areas prioritised.

A trial has already seen pedestrian crossings at two sites in Nailsea upgraded, reducing the time pedestrians wait by about a third.

The second phase of the council’s Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy will contribute £10k to the project, adding to the scheme’s £65k budget identified from Active Travel England funding pots.

The extra £10k from the health and wellbeing strategy will mean more crossings can be reconfigured.

The strategy will also see £20k put towards adding build-outs, “parklets” and potentially bicycle storage to the mainly Department of Transport-funded Weston Central Liveable Neighbourhood.

Another £5k is planned for event safety measures at the launch of the new Pier-to-Pier cycle route between Clevedon and Weston-super-Mare.

One member of the Health and Wellbeing Board, Healthwatch’s Georgie Biggs, commented: “Some of those projects within green infrastructure are really important to mental health.”

In total, £65k is being put towards green infrastructure in the strategy, but much more of the funding in the strategy will tackle mental health more directly.

£200k will be spent on adult and children’s mental health services, with a further £50k to tackle risk behaviours in children.

The strategy will also see £50k go towards equality issues, an £80k investment in physical activity, and £40k specifically for the health and wellbeing of carers, but what this money will be spent on is still being decided.

The strategy is funded by the public health grant from the government and the integrated care board which covers Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire.