10 September 2004
MINISTER SWITCHED ON TO SAFE CROSSINGS
Minister of State, John Spellar MP, today switched on two new pelican crossings, on the Belmont Road and Blacks Road, in Belfast. These are two of 11 additional pedestrian crossings, which will be provided under the revised Roads Service procedures.
The new guidelines, announced by the Minister earlier this year, use an initial check of the vehicle and pedestrian volumes, followed by the completion of a points scoring system that takes into account the many factors that influence the need for a road crossing.
The Minister met residents and local representatives at the new crossing on the Blacks Road and then travelled to east Belfast, to meet pupils of Strathearn School and local residents, at the site of the new pelican crossing on the Belmont Road.
He said: "The provision of the pelican crossings and the associated measures will provide great benefit to all pedestrians in the Belmont Road and Blacks Road, particularly the elderly and school children.
"The revised assessment guidance allows Roads Service to make additional allowance for the needs of the more vulnerable road users such as elderly people, pedestrians with prams, unaccompanied children, visually and hearing impaired people and people with mobility problems."
Roads Service worked closely with Strathearn School and took into account the needs of the elderly in local residential homes, during the design of the scheme on the Belmont Road. Additional features, including pedestrian refuges and central hatching, as well as right turn pockets to assist pedestrians and reduce vehicle speed, have also been introduced.
The Minister continued: "By revising the procedures and lowering the assessment requirements, Roads Service is underlining the commitment given in the Regional Transportation Strategy to improve conditions for walking.
"The adoption of the revised guidance has permitted Roads Service to install more crossings than before and the additional new crossings, approved under the revised procedures, will be at sites in Ballygowan, Belfast, Crumlin, Dungannon, Londonderry, Lurgan, Moy, and Portadown."
The new crossings will be provided during the current financial year.
NOTES TO EDITORS:
- In the revised assessment process, key factors are taken into account such as the volume and speed of traffic, the number of pedestrians, site location, road width, proximity of site to amenities, the number of more vulnerable and less mobile road users and the pedestrian collision history of the site.
- Roads Service is responsible for the provision of controlled pedestrian crossing facilities. These include pelican, toucan and zebra crossings.
- Calculating an individual score for potential sites allows each to be ranked and then, if appropriate, programmed for implementation by Roads Service.
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