Pedestrians will take priority over cars on Melbourne's city streets if the council backs a progressive road safety plan on Tuesday.

Footpaths would be widened - sometimes at the cost of on-street parking - pedestrians would have more time to cross intersections at arterial roads such a King Street and private cars could be banned from some streets at lunchtime.

A road safety plan that promotes a pedestrian and cycling-friendly city centre will be voted on by City of Melbourne councillors on Tuesday. Credit:Mal Fairclough

The road safety plan 2013-17, on which council members will vote on Tuesday night, is aimed at cutting the number of deaths and serious injuries from crashes in the city by 20 per cent by 2020.

There were 34 deaths and 1618 serious injuries in the City of Melbourne between 2007 and 2011, with a cost calculated at $1 billion. Eighty per cent of those crashes involved ''vulnerable road users'' - pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists.