Crossing at Gipsy Lane, Leicester
The Petition of residents of Leicester East,
Declares that the zebra crossing on Gipsy Lane, Leicester is unsafe as the drivers do not stop long enough, they drive through when pedestrians are half way across the road and further declares that the Petitioners are concerned that there is an accident waiting to happen on this road.
The Petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urges the Department for Communities and Local Government and Leicester City Council to investigate installing a pelican crossing at this site.
And the Petitioners remain, etc.—[Presented by Keith Vaz, Official Report, 27 March 2014; Vol. 578, c. 565.]
[P001337]
Observations from the Secretary of State for Transport:
The design, installation and maintenance of pedestrian crossings are matters for local highway authorities. They have powers to establish crossings on their roads, as well as a duty under section 122 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 to “secure the expeditious, convenient and safe movement of vehicular and other traffic (including pedestrians)”.
Local authorities would need to consider local factors such as pedestrian numbers, road layout, traffic flow and speed and accident records in deciding whether a crossing is necessary, and if so what type to provide. The Department for Transport has published guidance on the assessment and design of pedestrian crossings, in two Local Transport Notes (LTNs):
LTN 1/95: The Assessment of Pedestrian Crossings
LTN 2/95: The Design of Pedestrian Crossings
Both publications are available on the Department’s website at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/local-transport-notes
If this crossing is a Pelican Crossing then it may be worth considering replacing it with a Puffin Crossing which includes the capability of detecting people waiting and crossing.
Local authorities are free to make their own decisions about the design of the streets under their care, provided they take account of the relevant legislation. It would be inappropriate for the Government to seek to intervene in the process of local democratic accountability.
The Coalition Government have pledged to protect and extend the autonomy of local authorities, and as such do not intervene in their day-to-day affairs, except where specific provision has been made in legislation.