Written question WQ96892
- Asked by
- Lee WatersLabour
- To be answered by
- Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales
- Tabled
- Due
- Answered
- Time to answer
- 4 days
Question
Will the Cabinet Secretary clarify how engagement with external bodies such as Transport for West Midlands and Active Travel England is influencing the Welsh Government’s approach to enabling zebra crossings at junctions, and whether this is expected to affect the legislative timetable?
Answer
Answered by Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales
These simplified zebra crossings were trialled during the rollout of the 20mph default speed limit in Cardiff, and since then officials have been liaising with those undertaking similar trials in Warwickshire and Westminster. This was to ensure the outcomes of the Cardiff trial concurred with these other similar studies, and now they have concluded it can be confirmed that this has found to be the case.
Concurrently consultation has taken place with TfW’s Accessibility and Inclusion Panel, where they had a site visit to the crossings in Cardiff and a presentation was made to them last month.
They were generally very supportive of the simple side road zebras, recognising that they make all pedestrians and wheelers safer in their communities compared to a situation without a simple side-road zebra. They did raise concerns which will be addressed in future guidance to be provided to highway authorities regarding their installation.
Our lawyers are now working with officials to consider what amendments need to be made to legislation, so that highway authorities can introduce simple zebra crossings on 20mph roads in Wales.