What is believed to be London’s first ‘Tiger Crossing’ has been unveiled on London Cycle Network route 9 in Hackney (London Cycling Campaign).
A Tiger Crossing combines a pedestrian zebra with a crossing for people on bikes. They are called Tiger because early versions had yellow stripes on black tarmac.
The crossing in Hackney had previously been marked with informal white blocks but, according to London Cycling Campaign, some drivers were uncertain about giving way to bikes and pedestrians. Now people on bikes get the same priority as pedestrians on the zebra.
London Cycling Campaign says this is “possibly the first such crossing in London, it may even be the first in the UK”, whereas in the Netherlands this type of arrangement is very common.
London Cycling Campaign says: “The simple effectiveness of this layout should be attractive to every other borough and highway authority in the UK. It is far cheaper and easier to install than a signalized crossing. It also means that there is less delay and higher level of service for all road users.”
Is this in the Highway Code? If not, has it any legal standing?
As towns/city’s are to become more ‘devolved’ and follow the pattern set by London, will this mean proliferation of traffic laws, that only local people will have knowledge of?
We have a NATIONAL road system that is now being dismantled to cater for the whims and fancies of local councils!
But then, making life difficult and unpleasant as possible for drivers, is all part of the master plan to ‘get us out of our cars’.
Terry Hudson, Kent
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Has any effort been made to publicise the crossing to the driving community? I ask as a local unitary authority is installing significant new cycling infrastructure without any ‘soft’ measures to accompany the scheme. I would suggest that many drivers wouldn’t consider stopping for the cyclist if left to their own devices.
Iain Temperton – Norfolk
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Just as I thought I agree with you Paul, it’s alright giving something or all to bikers. Let’s face it they ask and ask and ask and argue for so much and their expectations are great and everything they would want or wish for is granted. Dare to infringe upon their new found status and strength whether it be, space or safety or legalities or the responsibilities of cyclists, and they dismiss or totally disregard it or argue that you are anti biker and therefore anti social. New state of affairs, get ahead get a bike.
Bob Craven :Lancs Space is Safe Campaigner.
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Agree Bob, on the legal aspect. Now all we need to do is get it through to pedestrians that cycle crossing and cycle lanes are not for pedestrians.
Paul (Berkshire)
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I am quite surprised that they are not considered safer when they were painted yellow. This would shout out to me, a newcomer to London, that this is something new and to the cyclists that they are important and now have a crossing place all of their own. Not shared by pedestrians. So cyclists and pedestrians have segregated areas.
The previous pedestrian crossing complies with the law but is there, or has there been, any changes in the law that accommodate a cyclist crossing? If not then it cannot be considered a legal stopping place.
I thought that pedestrian crossings were a safe place for cyclists to cross so long as they complied with the law and got off their bikes and walked them across. Or had someone forgot about this.
Bob Craven Lancs… Space is Safe Campaigner
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