Traffic lights across the capital will be rephased to cut jams

The Mayor set out plans to change the sequences so they allow more cars through on every green light.

As a result, there would also be slightly longer waits at red lights but pedestrians would still have time to cross.

Mr Johnsontold the London Assembly that the movewould also reduce carbon emissions, as vehicles would not be sitting in queues of traffic pumping out higher levels of pollution.

But green motoring groups said it would simply encourage even more cars on to London's roads.

The Mayor also came under pressure when it emerged he has delegated key planning powers to deputy mayor Ian Clements, an unelected official.

Mr Johnson has held talks with Transport for London officials who are exploring how "intelligent" technology could ease congestion.

He said: "I do want to make sure that traffic flows more smoothly in London. I think we can do that without any prejudice to the rights and needs of pedestrians or vulnerable road-users.

"I've discovered an appalling legacy of neglect of London's traffic lights and it turns out that, contrary to the so-called green credentials of the last admin, there are no fewer than 727 traffic lights that do not conform to Department for Transport guidelines.

"Poor pedestrians are now being forced to sprint across. I'm assured we can not only rectify the gross neglect of traffic lights but we can also allow cars to flow more smoothly through them."

Mr Johnson said he would press ahead with his pledge to bring in a new generation of Routemaster buses but admitted the plans were "aspirational".

However, much of the Mayor's first question time was dominated by questions-about openness and accountability-He was criticised for delegating his planning powers to Mr Clement, deputy mayor for government relations, rather than making the decisions himself.

Green Darren Johnson said the arrangement was "simply not appropriate and not democratic".

Mr Johnson insisted he was taking a "keen" interest in planning applications. "You will understand I have been in this job about two-and-half weeks and I haven't had time to get my head round every single planning application that comes on to my desk," he said.

"In so far as I have delegated planning to others to get on with the vital business of planning approvals, that does not mean for one moment that I have ceded authority."

His spokesman said later none of the 14 planning decisions made by Mr Clement had been controversial and in every instance he had backed the decisions of borough councils.

Mr Johnson came under fire from Labour for appointing "the great and good of the Conservative party" to sit on his forensic audit panel investigating the finances of the London Development Agency. Labour suggested there should be a cross-party panel.

The Mayor replied: "The objective there is not to launch any kind of witchhunt or seek any kind of scapegoat but to get to the bottom of the apprehension by Londoners that lots of money was being wasted."