Inflatable zebra crossing for young and old

Our inflatable zebra crossing, which we designed to help schools campaign for safe crossings, came to the aid of different community group this week when it travelled to a retirement complex in Stapleford.

Carpenters Court offers 48 dwellings for older folk and is situated next to a busy road. As part of the original plans, £40,000 was paid towards the costs of a new crossing - but this has yet to materialise.

Richard MacRae, an independent councillor for Stapleford North, called us to ask if we'd bring along our inflatable zebra crossing to help remind the council of its obligation. Following the protest, he said: "When we put it up, cars stopped - it shows it works. It was the same stuff you would use for bouncy castles. People were stopping - that's where the crossing should be."

What is a pop-up zebra crossing?

When we were approached by a group of parents whose request for a zebra crossing at a road traffic collision black spot outside their local infant school had been turned down on grounds of cost, we went about building one ourselves as cheaply as possible.

The result was a pop-up zebra crossing that could be erected in less than two minutes. And with no need to consider drainage, the excavation of existing pavement, disposal of material, new kerbing and paving, anti-skid surfacing, road markings, traffic signs, electrical connections and pillars, the total cost came to £50 – considerably less than the £114,000 quoted by the Highways Agency.

Faced with coverage of the campaign in the Sunday Times, Daily Mail, Evening Standard and Metro newspapers and on numerous radio stations, the local authority quickly installed the much-needed real zebra crossing.

If you are facing a similar challenge trying to get a zebra crossing for your school, please get in touch.

Funding campaigns like the pop-up zebra is easy

Not only are we an ethical company like no other, but we also campaign for sustainable transport. Sometimes that means protesting until a school gets the zebra crossing they've been refused, or running 60 roadshows this year to encourage people out of their cars, or fixing bicycles for free. Supporting this work is easy - you simply have to take out cycle insurance with us, cover that just happens to be excellent.

Unlike other companies, we never devalue your bike. And if you ride a carbon bike, rest assured we will never have a cracked frame repaired - we will always replace your bike with a new one. How many other insurers can say that? Find out more

..and it's not just cycle insurance that we offer. We provide home insurance, cycle insurance, travel insurance and breakdown cover - all while putting concern for the environment at the heart of all we do.

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