Pelican crossings!

[MuckleJoannie]

The zebra crossings are part of the plan to make the Esplanade a 20 mph zone. Apparently they are safe at that speed. There will be consultation before the deed is done.

 

http://www.shetnews.co.uk/news/7844-town-centre-could-get-20mph-speed-limit

[Urabug]

Yeah! why not 25MPH speed limit  and update the Pelicans to Puffins,that would be sense.

 

Would be funny to see a Puffin on Puffin crossing  but they will never leave the ness!

[unlinkedstudent]

I prefer zebra crossings.  A zebra crossing means I don't have to attempt to move quicker than I am capable of doing instead of attempting to cross in the allocated time permitted by the pelican crossing.  That said, road users are meant to give way to pedestrians.

 

If a car hits me at 20mph, I've still been hit, regardless of whether when using a zebra or pelican crossing.

[owre-weel]

This is typical of our council. Problem exists with lights..... Rather than fix lights..... Create another issue to fix which allows them a cheaper fix to the lights problem, namely replace pellican crossings with zebra ones.....second issue speed control in the town centre, costs more to fix then first lights issue......then realise later that change to zebra crossings was a mistake and causes more accidents so spend more money replacing with pellican crossings. Simples.

 

They usually get there in the end

[owre-weel]

The return to zebra crossings surely has to be a backward step, despite the fact vehicles may, and I say MAY be travelling at 20mph.

 

Councillor Wishart suggested on radio Shetland that the lights can be a nuisance as people press the button then cross because it's clear, then cars have to wait a few seconds on red lights at an empty crossing. He like me is old enough to remember the busy Saturdays when you stopped at the zebra crossings because there were groups of people standing on the pavement, just to find out the they weren't crossing.

 

Someone else said there were in average two accidents in town each year and I agree that a 20 mph speed limit may reduce these and at worst limit any injury. But this is a separate issue to the lights. Mark my words, if you replace the pelican crossings with zebra crossings there will be more accidents on the actual crossings, particularly at night in the dark.

 

The 20 mph limit may help reduce the impact of any accidents in the town centre. But what about the crossings at Bolts, Grantfield and Lochside?

 

Why do I feel that this has, yet again, not been fully thought through ?

[Scorrie]

Pelican crossings aren't normally installed now, they usually are replaced with Puffin crossings.

 

The Puffin works on sensors, The idea being that if someone presses the button and then crosses before the lights change, then the sensors pick up on this and cancel the red light command.

Also, the traffic is held on stop until the crossing is clear, so no "beep, beep, get a move on, you silly old sod" flashing green man phase is required.

 

This also means that there is no flashing amber light controlling the cars, as the traffic is held back on red until the crossing is clear.

 

So the easiest way to tell the difference between a Puffin and a Pelican is that the Puffin has no flashing amber phase - the sequence is the same a traffic light.

 

Wishart obviously hasn't bothered to research the subject before spouting off.

[brian.smith]

Oh come on give the Council a break they need to use up that bottomless consultation budget. (tongue in cheek)

[owre-weel]

Oh come on give the Council a break they need to use up that bottomless consultation budget. (tongue in cheek)

ha ha du could be right.

 

Noo I winder if I could get dem tae set up a common sense budget, dey widna need muckle money in it.

[Ghostrider]

^ They used to have one when they began, but they discontinued it when they found in an audit that it had never ever been touched, and actually had been forgotten about for many years.

[unlinkedstudent]

But this all raises the question as to whether or not the Fudge Co. will be permitted to take their Puffin Poo onto the puffin crossing or will the zebra dig in its heels and flatten the very motion?

[Ghostrider]

^ Will it matter, its only all a pile of sh*t anyway.

[Tammychoink]

Joost git more speed bumps. Turn da whole of Lerwick into the world's least exciting roller-coaster and be done with it. Mibbie throw in a few more multi-thousand pound round-abouts dat nobody kens how to use, and finally introduce a one way system all the way from the Town Hall to Sumburgh airport. Well, now that I've done the Roads & Transport blue-print for 2014, I'll have to go and fry up some saucermeat afore I get stuck into my report aboot closing the AHS and relocating the students to Skeld. 

Edited January 19, 2014 by Tammychoink

[shetlandpeat]

It is certainly a different response to the enquiry I made about these. The information passed on to me was that these lights are the very early generation of LED lights, the spares for these has almost dried up. There is a plan to replace them, but due to budget constraints, it will take some time. I did only ask about the lights at the Church Road junction with the Street.

I do not think that a Zebra Crossing is sutable for all the existing crossings currently controlled (or not) by lights. There is nothing wrong as well with  using zebra crossings as a means of crossing the road. Again, it is down to drivers to stop safely to allow folk to cross and of course, pedestrians also use them in the correct way.

[Ian_H]

I suggest you read the report going to the Environment & Transport Committee next week to see what is actually being considered.

http://www.shetland.gov.uk/coins/agenda.asp?meetingid=4157 (The Public Agenda gives all reports & appendices as a single document)

Option of Zebras conditional on a 20mph speed limit, so only for town-centre crossings. 20mph speed limit/ traffic calming being suggested to reduce number of folk being injured on the road.

If the Council does decide to consider/ consult, then tell when what you think, for or against. That is what consultations are for.

[Ghostrider]

....introduce a one way system all the way from the Town Hall to Sumburgh airport. 

 

Just as long as its one way south to north, thats fine. No way are we going to agree to having any of that lot turn up down here and we not be able to get rid of them again.