Road safety - pedestrian crossings

The different types of pedestrian crossings found in the borough are listed below.

Formal crossings.

• Puffin crossing (Pedestrian User Friendly Intelligent Crossing) — an updated version of the pelican crossing with the red and green man lights shown above the wait button, not on the other side of the road. It has a sensor that can detect if pedestrians are waiting and makes sure that traffic remains stopped until all pedestrians have crossed the road.
• Pelican crossing (Pedestrian Light Controlled Crossing) — a crossing where pedestrians must press the wait button then wait to cross until the traffic stops and the green man is lit on the other side of the road. Pedestrians should not start crossing if the red man is lit or the green man is flashing.
• Zebra crossing — a black and white striped crossing with an orange flashing beacon at each end. It gives the pedestrian the right of way as soon as their foot is on the crossing, however, care must be taken to make sure that the traffic has stopped.
• Toucan crossing (Two-Can Cross) — named after the fact that both pedestrians and cyclists can use it, this type of crossing is usually built where cycle routes cross busy roads. Its main benefit is that cyclists do not have to get off their bicycle to cross the road. It also has sensors to detect if pedestrians or cyclists are using the crossing.       

Informal crossings.

• Buildout — a widened pavement that slows traffic down and means that pedestrians who are waiting to cross the road can be easily seen by drivers
• Pedestrian refuge — an island in the centre of the road where pedestrians can wait
• Raised entry treatment — a hump built at the entrance to a side road to slow traffic down and act as a crossing point for pedestrians
• Dropped kerb — a section of lowered kerb at a crossing point that makes it easier for pedestrians to walk on to the pavement       

Requesting a new crossing.

If you think a new pedestrian crossing is needed somewhere in the borough, please email roadsafety@lbhf.gov.uk.

We will investigate the area to find out the speed and flow of traffic, the frequency of accidents and the number of vulnerable road users (such as schoolchildren) to decide if a new pedestrian crossing is necessary. 

For more information on pedestrian crossings, please click here to visit the Highway Code website.