What Happened?
Transport for London is launching a trial of new intelligent pedestrian crossings in London this summer. The new pedestrian crossing sensors are designed to make it easier and safer for walkers to cross the road at busy and dangerous intersections.
The Goal
Transport for London has launched an overarching public safety initiative - including the new intelligent pedestrian crossings - in an effort to reduce pedestrian deaths and serious injuries in London by 40 percent by 2020. The intelligent pedestrian crossing solution is nicknamed Pedestrian SCOOT (Split Cycle Offset Optimization Technique) and uses video camera technology to automatically detect the number of pedestrians waiting to cross a street. When foot traffic is high, the timing of traffic signals is changed to accommodate walker demand.
The intelligent pedestrian crossing can also detect if a walker has pushed the crossing button but was able to cross the street or choose an alternative route before the signal goes green. When this occurs, the sensors cancel the pedestrian crossing request to keep traffic flowing.
The intelligent pedestrian crossings will build off an existing program in London that shows walkers a countdown for how many seconds they have left before the traffic signal will change. The countdown technologies have already been installed at 200 locations throughout London.
Why the focus on walkers?
London Mayor’s Roads Task Force created a series of key recommendations in July 2013 regarding pedestrian safety and increased control over traffic throughout the capital city. The city has committed to working with businesses and community leaders to implement innovative solutions to achieve higher levels of safety and efficiency.
The city’s Safe London Streets document outlined six commitments London is working toward including:
- Achieve a 40 percent reduction in the number of people killed or seriously injured on London’s roads by 2020 – with a long-term goal of being death and injury-free
- Prioritize safety of vulnerable group – pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists – which account for 80 percent of serious and fatal collisions
- Provide funding for road safety, invested in the most effective and innovative schemes
- Increase efforts with police, boroughs and enforcement agencies to tackle illegal, dangerous and careless road user behavior
- Campaign for changes in national and EU law to make roads, vehicles and drivers safer
- Partner with boroughs and road safety stakeholders to develop best practices and share data and information
Over the next 10 years, London and Transport for London will double investment in the road safety network from £2 billion to £4 billion by protecting Local Implementation Plan funding for boroughs to support the projects. To further support the public safety initiative, Transport for London is proposing a regulation requiring all vehicles over 3.5 tons in London to be fitted with sideguards to protect cyclists from being dragged under the wheels. The vehicles must also have specially-fitted mirrors so drivers can view pedestrians and cyclists all around them while driving.
Walker Safety
Gov1 has noted a widespread push toward pedestrian safety prompting urban designers to incorporate new features into street plans with walkers in mind.