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Dept for Transport

Answer

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the cost of the Highways Agency's new specifications for upgrading puffin pedestrian crossings; and what the reasons are for the upgrading. [194380] Mr. Jamieson: My Department estimates the additional cost of installing a new Puffin crossing compared with a new Pelican crossing to be approximately £2,500. This is due to additional items of equipment required for the crossing operation. The cost of converting an existing Pelican crossing to a Puffin crossing may be higher depending on local factors, and often equipment upgrades and other improvements are made at the same time. Local authorities are not obliged to change to Puffin crossings. The Puffin crossing was developed in response to complaints arising from poor understanding and use of Pelican crossings by pedestrians and drivers, especially confusion caused by the flashing green man and flashing amber vehicle signals. With Puffin crossings, drivers are held at a red signal when pedestrians are crossing and the crossing time is automatically extended for slower pedestrians. The advantages for drivers are that the lights will change back to green sooner than at a Pelican crossing and they will not be stopped if pedestrians cross in a gap in the traffic before the signals change. The Puffin crossing pedestrian signal is at the near- side of the road. This allows pedestrians to watch the traffic and the pedestrian signal simultaneously. The position of the near side signal is also helpful to visually impaired pedestrians who may not see clearly signals mounted at the far side of the road.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

194380; 426 c10-1W

Session

2003-04

Subjects

Costs Pedestrian crossings Modernisation Road signs and markings

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk