Speedy shoppers will no longer get stuck behind people who dawdle or stop to check their phones - thanks to the UK's first ever pedestrian fast lane. 
 
 Argos has painted new markings on the pavement outside its Liverpool store after research revealed almost half the nation found the slow pace of high streets to be their biggest shopping bugbear. 
 
 The new lane, being trialled this week in the Liverpool One shopping complex, hopes to help pick up the pace for those who are hurrying by bypassing the crowds. 
 
 New statistics show 31 per cent of people find pavement hoggers frustrating, while more than a quarter (27 per cent) get annoyed by dawdling pedestrians. 
 
 Dr Alastair Moore, an independent retail expert, said: "Perusing the high street is one of my favourite past times but I do have my own shopping bugbears, from middle of the street chattering to battling through the crowds. 
 
 "As the research demonstrates, a faster high street could vastly improve the overall shopping experience for British shoppers across the UK. 
 
 "The pedestrianised fast track lane is a great way of making this possible and with nearly 30 million Brits saying they'd like one on their own high street, the pilot is set to be a success." 
 
 Photo: Mercury Press 
 
 In total, 28.8 million Britons said they would like a pavement fast lane installed in their local high street to ensure less time is spent dodging the masses. 
 
 'We hope it alleviates some of the biggest shopping high street frustrations' Andy Brown, Argos 
 
 Shoppers are testing out the experimental pavement fast lane for one week from Monday until this Sunday. 
 
 Andy Brown, central operations director at Argos, said: "Shoppers have also told us that speed is critical when simply getting around the high street or town centre, so we want to test consumer reaction to a dedicated pavement fast lane. 
 
 • Driver who revved at pedestrians accidentally killed grandmother 
 
 • Quarter of Brits suffer 'pavement rage' 
 
 "We hope it alleviates some of the biggest shopping high street frustrations." 
 
 Argos' research found the nation's top ten shopping bugbears are: ||||| ES News Email Enter your email address Please enter an email address Email address is invalid Fill out this field Email address is invalid Email cannot be used. Try another or register with your social account 
 
 A hero bus driver whose split-second swerve saved a woman shoved into the path of his double-decker deserves a medal, his colleagues said today. 
 
 The driver’s lightning reflexes saved the 33-year-old pedestrian’s life “without a shadow of doubt” according to experienced co-workers. 
 
 Scotland Yard today said the net was closing in on the middle-aged jogger who shoved her off the pavement and sent her sprawling into the road on Putney Bridge. 
 
 A huge public response to footage of the incident has led to a series of “viable leads”. 
 
 Detectives are also using enthusiasts’ website Strava, which records runners’ routes and times, to trace other potential witnesses. 
 
 The Standard understands the driver has worked on buses for a decade. 
 
 He was travelling at around 12mph when he saw the incident and pulled into the middle of the road, bringing the bus to a halt inches from the woman’s head. 
 
 A colleague at Putney bus garage said today: “He’s a hero and deserves a medal for saving that poor woman’s life. 
 
 “We’re used to having to dodge cyclists but to have to witness a woman being pushed in front of your bus is scary – he’s definitely a hero.” 
 
 The incident happened as the Go Ahead London 430 service, from Roehampton to South Kensington, crossed Putney Bridge at 7.40am on May 5. 
 
 The driver immediately returned to work and is said to be stunned by the outpouring of praise following the release of CCTV almost three months later. 
 
 His co-worker, who has 20 years’ experience, said: “It’s horrific to think what could have happened if the driver wasn’t able to act as quick as he did, or if he’d been checking mirrors at that moment. 
 
 “To have the precision to also avoid all the other cars, people and other traffic should be commended. 
 
 “These situations are where our training and experience are put to the test, that’s why he managed to act so quickly.” 
 
 The jogger ran back across the bridge 15 minutes later, ignoring the victim’s pleas to stop as he sprinted towards Fulham, where he is believed to live. 
 
 He is white, in his mid-30s with brown eyes and short brown hair. He was wearing a light grey T-shirt and dark blue shorts. 
 
 Witnesses are asked to call 020 8785 8874 or tweet @MetCC
– If you don't enjoy getting stuck behind slow walkers while shopping, you're not alone—and you might consider a trip to the UK to try out the country's first ever fast lane for pedestrians being tested this week in the Liverpool One shopping complex, reports the Telegraph. The move comes after retailer Argos announced that 47% of people it surveyed are more annoyed by slow walkers than anything else. "As the research demonstrates, a faster high street could vastly improve the overall shopping experience for British shoppers across the UK," an independent retail expert says. "With nearly 30 million Brits saying they'd like one on their own high street, the pilot [which runs through Sunday] is set to be a success." But it turns out the idea is far more popular among 16- to 24-year-olds surveyed (at 69%) than among those over the age of 55 (at 37%), reports the Independent. And while the top reason to support the fast lane was to save time, one in three surveyed said they were simply annoyed by people blocking the pavement. Other top 10 shopping annoyances, according to the Argos survey, include conversations in the middle of the street, people checking cell phones, and waiting in line, with rude staff rounding out the bottom. (See how Georgia sought to solve the problem of slow drivers in the passing lane.)