Pedestrian Areas: Safety

(asked on 26th February 2026) - View Source

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they plan to take to improve pedestrian safety on pavements and zebra crossings, and to ensure that cyclists and riders of e-bikes and e-scooters respect traffic rules.


Answered by
Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill Portrait
Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill
Minister of State (Department for Transport)
This question was answered on 6th March 2026

The Government recognises that it is essential that everyone using our roads is kept safe, including pedestrians. On 7 January 2026 we published our new Road Safety Strategy, setting out our vision for a safer future on our roads for all.

Local authorities are responsible for managing their roads, and have statutory duties placed on them to ensure safe movement for all road users, including pedestrians. The Department for Transport provides good practice guidance to support them in this on the design of the street environment and on the provision of zebra crossings. The Department has long advocated street design that puts consideration of the needs of people walking first, through the Manual for Streets.

Cycling on pavements, including the use of e-cycles, is already an offence and is enforceable by the police. E‑scooters are not legal for use on pavements or roads except as part of Government‑approved rental trials, where operators must promote responsible use.

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