IMPROVING PEDESTRIAN SAFETY: COUNCILS LOOK FOR WAYS TO QUICKEN THE PACE

This article reports how local authorities are now seeking new ways of handling pedestrian safety problems away from residential areas. There is no clear consensus on the best way to reduce the scattered- accident problem on non-residential roads. Although it is known that the most effective way to reduce pedestrian accident rates is to decrease vehicle speeds, local authorities are reluctant to install traffic calming measures except on local roads. Drivers and the Department of Transport (DTp) are not yet ready to accept restrictions on roads where they perceive vehicles to have priority. Many local authorities believe that they could handle the problem better if DTp regulations were broadened. The DTp is beginning to respond to this demand for modified and improved regulations. It will soon issue a consultation paper on new famework- based criteria for formal road crossing provision, taking many factors into account; a DTp working group with local authority representatives has been drafting these proposals. The DTp has also commissioned consultant Halcrow Fox to study new ways to improve pedestrian safety, with the possibility of setting up demonstration projects where good new practice can be officially tested and monitored. It should be recognised that people are usually really asking for more convenience when they argue for safer crossing facilities. Traffic in general needs to be handled systematically to reduce the vulnerability of other road users.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/09626220
• Corporate Authors:

  LOCAL TRANSPORT TODAY

  QUADRANT HOUSE, 250 KENNINGTON LANE
  LONDON,   United Kingdom  SE11 5RD
• Authors:
  • PEASE, J
• Publication Date: 1993-11-25

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: References;
• Pagination: p. 12-3
• Serial:
  • LOCAL TRANSPORT TODAY
  • Issue Number: 121
  • Publisher: LOCAL TRANSPORT TODAY
  • ISSN: 0962-6220

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Federal government; Local government agencies; Pedestrians; Policy; Prevention; Safety; Traffic restraint
• Geographic Terms: United Kingdom
• ITRD Terms: 1661: Accident prevention; 183: Government (national); 192: Local authority; 1733: Pedestrian; 173: Policy; 633: Traffic restraint; 8119: United Kingdom
• Subject Areas: Pedestrians and Bicyclists; Policy; Safety and Human Factors; Security and Emergencies;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00663343
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport Research Laboratory
• Files: ITRD, ATRI
• Created Date: Aug 24 1994 12:00AM