Zebra crossings trial sparks call for wider roll out on city-region’s side roads

Data from a trial of unlit zebra crossings on side roads in Tameside has found they increase likelihood of drivers giving way to pedestrians to cross, sparking calls for the government to permit their use more widely in Greater Manchester.

An independent report commissioned by Greater Manchester has found that showing zebra crossing markings, without Belisha Beacons, on side roads made drivers give way to crossing pedestrians 65% more often than when no markings are shown. The report brings together data from consultation, off-road trials and two on-street trials in Tameside and could help make crossing smaller roads safer and easier for pedestrians, and help promote walking and cycling for shorter journeys. Latest data shows that 55 people in Greater Manchester alone have been killed at side road junctions on minor roads over a three-year period.

As a result of the trial, Mayor Andy Burnham and Transport Commissioner Chris Boardman are calling on the government to support the use of zebra markings more widely for a mass trial in Greater Manchester; a move backed by other Walking and Cycling Champions from across the UK.

Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, said:

“Every year in the UK, around two billion trips under one mile are made by car; the equivalent of a 15-minute walk or a five-minute bike ride. Those trips by car are releasing approximately 680,000 tonnes of carbon.

“In Greater Manchester we’re determined to shift the focus to become a city-region where walking, cycling and public transport comes first. That includes ensuring that people feel safe walking to school, the shops and work. The latest data we have has shown that 55 people in Greater Manchester alone have been killed at side road junctions on minor roads over a three year period. This is shocking and needs urgent action.

“We wanted to see if a method used widely across the world could offer us a practical and cost-effective option to make crossing side roads safer and, importantly, feel safer. I must give a special shout out to Tameside Council for their support in agreeing to do on-street trials last summer – it gave us the final piece of evidence we needed to demonstrate what happens on the ground when zebra markings are used on side roads and we hope it will give government the confidence to conduct large-scale, long-term trials.” 

Transport Commissioner, Chris Boardman, added:

“We know that we all need to use our cars far less and that not feeling safe is a huge barrier to people choosing to walk. Nowhere do you feel more vulnerable than when crossing side roads. Simple side road zebras are commonly used in town and cities across the world as well as car parks and private land in the UK, which is exactly why we thought their use more widely had such potential. The Department for Transport has been very supportive of this study and we hope the compelling evidence will give them the confidence to give us the go-ahead for large-scale, long-term trials of these across our city region, to help make walking the overwhelming choice for everyday trips to school, work and the shops.

“Not only are side road zebras shown to be effective, they are incredibly practical and cheap to both install and maintain. In fact, they are already authorised and shown to work well on cycle paths. As they do not use Belisha Beacons or zigzags, there is no digging up of streets or power supplies required, so each one can be installed quickly for around £1,000 compared to £40,000 for a traditional zebra crossing. For me it just feels like a safer step in the right direction.”

If approved for use, Greater Manchester plans to deploy side-road zebra crossings primarily in residential, lower-traffic areas, while busier streets would continue to use signalised crossings, or zebra crossings with Belisha Beacons to help ensure driver and pedestrian safety.