Olympic sprinter Usain Bolt might be able to accomplish it with ease but crossing a Huddersfield road within the time limits is causing problems for lesser mortals.

It has been discovered that the green man at a pedestrian crossing at Southgate comes on for just 4.9 seconds.

The busy crossing, close to the roundabout by Huddersfield University, is used by students and people walking into town from Aspley.

But those trying to make it across before the green man goes red must make a run for it if they want to avoid being hit by traffic.

While the two-lane section must be crossed in under five seconds, pedestrians are given a miserly 7.4 seconds to get across the three lane part facing Kingsgate.

Amazingly Kirklees Council has said there are no plans to change them.

The dangerous crossing was highlighted by Clr Andrew Cooper who said: “There’s a number of issues around there but that’s one that definitely needs sorting out.

“The council needs to recognise that even young students can’t get across in time.

“Imagine if it’s someone elderly, someone in a wheelchair or someone pushing a buggy.

“If it’s difficult for people who are fit and healthy then it’s going to be absolutely impossible for somebody with mobility problems.

Pedestrian crossing outside University of Huddersfield's new Oastler building which only allows 4-5 seconds to get across.

“When it comes to pedestrian crossings we should always look at it from the point of people who take a little bit of time to get across.”

Kirklees Council believes it’s safe and a spokesman said: “Signal timings to cross the lanes of traffic are appropriate for the location, and meet national standards for those widths of carriageway.

“However pedestrians will often have to wait for a crossing cycle when demand is high.”

Department for Transport guidelines show the Government expects pedestrians to be fast on their feet.

It says the green man should only be on for four seconds for crossings up to 7.5 metres in length; five seconds for crossings betwen 7.5m and 10.5m; six seconds for crossings between 10.5m and 12.5m and seven seconds for crossings over 12.5m. But it says councils can use their discretion to increase the timings by up to two seconds.

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents says one of the greatest threats people face in their day-to-day lives are road accidents.

In 2014, the number of people killed in reported road crashes increased by 4% – the first rise in a decade.

Three-quarters of the increase was pedestrian casualties. Levels fell slightly in 2015.