Informal zebra crossings for safer streets

A simplified version of the zebra crossing is used widely across Europe because it's cheaper to install and works well on side roads. Now these so-called informal zebra crossings are coming to the UK.

At first glance they look very much like a conventional crossing. However, they don't have the standard signage, flashing beacons, or road markings typical of a conventional zebra crossing. And they're much cheaper and quicker to install.

The low-cost signal road markings signal to drivers that pedestrians have priority, improving safety at places where people should have priority.

Why haven't they been used here until now?

Regulations on pedestrian crossings are stringent. However, changes in the Highway Code in 2022 set the stage for trials of a more informal alternative. Specifically, Rule H2 now states drivers must "wait for the pedestrian to cross the junction before turning," applying to both left and right turns. The rule also clarifies that drivers should give way to pedestrians either crossing or waiting to cross side roads.

Despite these changes, many drivers remain unaware of this guidance, leading to continued danger for those on foot at side road junctions.

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Westminster Council’s trial of informal zebra crossings

London's Westminster Council has launched a consultation on plans to introduce informal zebra crossings across the borough to improve pedestrian safety. The trial includes crossings at key side road junctions. Councillor Paul Dimoldenberg, said of the initiative:

“We hope this will improve pedestrian safety for residents, visitors and people working in Westminster. Consultation has started on the locations and we will start installation later this year. We’ll then give the crossings time to bed in and we will start monitoring early next year. The aim is to gather more data, see if we need to change anything and then update our modelling so we can improve our forecasting to help deliver further schemes at many other sites in the future.”

This move reflects a growing recognition that simpler, more cost-effective solutions like informal zebra crossings can play a crucial role in making streets safer and more pedestrian-friendly in the UK.

We shouldn't have to beg for safe road crossings

https://vimeo.com/810104759

Children make up the largest user group of child casualties. They are particularly at risk when travelling to and from school. Around 80 per cent of all road harm to children occurs on a school day between the hours of 7.30am and 9am or 3pm and 5pm.

What is a pop-up zebra crossing?

When we were approached 10 years ago by a school whose request for a zebra crossing at a road traffic collision black spot outside their gates had been turned down on grounds of cost, we went about building one ourselves.

The result was a pop-up zebra crossing that can be erected in minutes. 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 trying to get a zebra crossing installed, please get in touch. We'll try and help if we can.

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