To encourage people to walk and to improve safety, we have been installing pedestrian crossing where there is a high conflict of flows between vehicles and pedestrians. There are five main types of pedestrian crossing:
Pelican Crossing (Pedestrian Light Controlled Crossing)
Pelicans are activated by pedestrians when they push the button on the wait box. Pedestrians need to make sure that all traffic has stopped before they cross and only when the green man has lit up. Pedestrians should not start to cross if the green man is flashing. There is also a bleeper or tactile cone, which operates at the same time as the green man for blind and partially sighted pedestrians.
Puffin Crossing (Pedestrian User Friendly Intelligent Crossing)
These crossings are similar to Pelican Crossings and activated in the same way by pedestrians. The main difference between the two crossings is that the Red and Green signals are above the wait box and not across the other side of the road. Puffins also have sensors built in which can detect pedestrians waiting and make sure that the vehicle traffic remains stationary until they have crossed the road. These are also equipped with bleeper or tactile cone.
Zebra Crossing
Zebra Crossings consist of thick black and white strips across a road with an orange flashing beacon on either pavement. These crossing give pedestrians the right of way however they must make sure that all traffic has stopped before they use the crossing.
Toucan Crossings (Two-can cross)
The Toucan Crossing is a dual use crossing for both pedestrians and cyclists. The crossing is activated by a button on the wait box in much the same way as the Pelican and Puffin Crossings. Toucan’s are sited where cycle routes cross roads and cyclists do not have to dismount to cross at those points. The Toucan crossing has a green and red cyclist as well as a green and red man as signals. Toucans are operated by sensors and drivers must wait for a green light before proceeding.
Pedestrian refuges
Pedestrian refuges or traffic islands are placed in the middle of wider roads where there is no crossing point. This helps to narrow the road giving pedestrians a safe area to wait whilst they cross the other half of the road. Drivers have priority at traffic islands.
For further information please contact:
Email:engser@stedsbc.gov.uk
Phone: 01284 757319
