TONY SAPIANO Sets of traffic lights near Trafalgar Square had their “walk” and “green man” images replaced

FREE now SUBSCRIBE Invalid email Make the most of your money by signing up to our newsletter fornow We will use your email address only for sending you newsletters. Please see our Privacy Notice for details of your data protection rights.

Day-trippers and tourists complained they don’t know which way to turn while crossing streets in central London after being confronted by a series of arrows pointing in different directions. Around 50 sets of traffic lights near busy Trafalgar Square had their “walk” and “green man” images replaced with the new designs in June to coincide with an annual Gay Pride Festival. Officials said the seven different same-sex symbols were designed to show Transport for London’s “support for lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans diversity” in the capital. The solitary “green man”, who has been featured on UK traffic lights since 1969, has now been joined by a male partner or replaced with two green women holding hands.

Other lights feature pairs of female and male gender symbols, or a transgender symbol which combines elements of both sexes. Father-of-two Anthony Smith said he didn’t know what to do when he saw two female symbols on the green traffic light. Mr Smith, of Preston, Lancashire, said: “When the light went green I saw the two female symbols and I thought, ‘Oh right, so my missus can cross with my little girl but what do me and the boy do?’ “This wouldn’t work up north. If you introduced this in Preston people wouldn’t know what you were going on about. I think it’s just a London thing really.”

TONY SAPIANO

TONY SAPIANO Other lights feature a transgender symbol which combines elements of both sexes

Father-of-three Paul LePatourel, 55, who was visiting the city on holiday with his daughter from their home in Birmingham, said: “Quite frankly, it’s ridiculous. "Fair enough, people are gay or transgender, whatever, I have no problem with that, but to change the traffic lights seems a bit bonkers to me.”

Just let people be who they want Jennifer Riordan

Jennifer Riordan, 26, from Leeds, said: “Does it mean women have to walk on one side and men walk on the other? “I have gay and LGBT friends and they’re not my ‘gay’ friends, they are just my friends. "They are reinforcing this stigma by doing these lights. Don’t draw attention to different gender choices, just let people be who they want.”

TONY SAPIANO Tfl said the changes had been made on a temporary basis but the lights are still in place