Transport and streets

General information

The council installs or upgrades several pedestrian crossings (zebra or pelican crossings) each year. All requests from residents are looked at individually. Many are not justified. The need for a crossing is assessed according to:

• traffic volume and pedestrian crossings surveys that gauge the conflict between pedestrians and vehicles
• difficulty that pedestrians face from traffic speed and volumes
• the time pedestrians must wait before they can cross
• the personal injury accident records indicating how many accidents occur and noting those that involve pedestrians.

Regular motorists tend to ignore crossings that are not often used. Similarly, pedestrians rely on the crossing and, rather than watching the traffic, assume that because a "green man" is showing the traffic will stop.  Both of these problems can result in an increased risk for pedestrians rather than improved safety.

Crossings have a built-in, statistical average-accident rate. In Croydon this is around three personal injury accidents per year. If the accident records show fewer accidents than this, it is possible that a new crossing could hurt, rather than help.

Traffic islands/pedestrian refuges

Where a formal pedestrian crossing (pelican, puffin or zebra) is not justified, these can be installed. They help pedestrians by letting them cross the road in two stages. Two restrictions to this measure are that the road must be at least 7.8m wide, and whether there are private driveways nearby.

Patrols

The council is responsible for arranging and approving school crossing patrol wardens. The criteria for such patrols are similar to those for formal pedestrian crossings.

Secondary schools often have no patrols, largely because of lack of volunteers, but also because older children prefer to be independent and do not follow the instructions of a patrol warden.

Junction entry treatments

A junction entry treatment is placed across the carriageway of a minor road at a road junction.

It indicates to motorists that they are leaving a main road and entering a residential area and reminds them that pedestrians have priorithy when crossing the junction. It also provides pedestrians with a level crossing surface, which is particularly useful for those with disabilities and parents and guardians with prams or pushbikes. 

This treatment often has a speed table, kerb build-out and gateway features.

Facilities for the disabled

Tactile paving is now used at all new zebra and pelican crossings to help people with impaired vision. Similar tactile paving is also used at many ramped crossing points.

Most single pelican crossings have audible signals, as well as the "green man" signal, to indicate when it is safe to cross the road.

Other staggered two-stage pelican crossings and some junction signals are fitted with a tactile signal on the pedestrian push-buttons, rather than an audible signal. This is so visually impaired people can tell which part of the staggered crossing or junction is safe to cross.

Contact Details

Contact name

Derek Stidder

Job title

Group Engineer

Telephone

020 8726 6000 ext 63881

Fax

020 8760 5486

Email

derek.stidder@croydon.gov.uk

Address

Traffic, Transportation & Road Safety
Taberner House
Park Lane
Croydon
CR9 1JT