Puffin crossing

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A puffin crossing (pedestrian user-friendly intelligent) is a type of pedestrian crossing in use in the United Kingdom.

It differs from a pelican crossing in that the lights controlling the pedestrians are on the near side of the road, rather than on the opposite side. The system also utilises sensors which detect the presence of pedestrians waiting at the crossing, and as they are crossing the road.

The crossing control lights, which inform the pedestrian when they may cross, are positioned at the road side, set diagonally to the road edge. The stated reason for this design was to allow the pedestrian to monitor passing traffic while waiting for the signal to cross.^[1] However the act of monitoring passing traffic often means the crossing control lights are out of the pedestrian's field of vision.^{[citation needed]} As a result, when a Puffin crossing is mounted at a road intersection, most pedestrians cross when the traffic lights change, which they monitor visually instead of the crossing control lights^{[citation needed]} - most pedestrians thereby cross in contradiction to the crossing control lights, creating altercations with turning vehicles and bicycles. The crossing control lights of the older Pelican and Toucan designs are mounted across the road from the pedestrian attempting to cross, resulting in them staying within the pedestrian's field of view for a greater proportion of the time. A second stated reason for the design was that having the lights closer to the user would assist visually impaired people who could have difficulty viewing the signal from across the carriageway.^[2] The Pelican and Toucan designs also feature visual cues close to the pedestrian informing when the pedestrian may cross, in the form of the display mounted above the button pressed to activate the crossing.^[3] This claimed advantage is thus much less than it would initially appear.

In addition to the positioning of the crossing control lights, some push-button units (the lower box in the picture) are also fitted with a tactile knob under the unit which rotates when the user may cross. This feature is also added to other pelican crossings.

After requesting to cross (by pressing a button) a kerb-side detector monitors the pedestrian's continued presence at the crossing. Should the pedestrian decide to cross prematurely, walk away from the crossing, or wait outside the detection area, the pedestrian's request to cross could be automatically cancelled so traffic is not halted unnecessarily.

An on-crossing detector ensures that the signal for vehicles remains red until the pedestrians have finished crossing (within practical limits).

See pelican crossing for basic information.

v • d • e Pedestrian crossing Panda crossing · Pedestrian scramble · Pegasus crossing · Pelican crossing · Puffin crossing · Tiger crossing · Toucan crossing · Zebra crossing

[edit] References

1. ^ Foreword, Puffin Good Practice Guide, Department for Transport, 2006
2. ^ Foreword, Puffin Good Practice Guide, Department for Transport, 2006
3. ^ Part II of Schedule 2 to the Zebra, Pelican and Puffin Pedestrian Crossings Regulations and General Directions 1997

• The History of British Roadsigns, UK Dept. for Transport, 2nd Edition, 1999

[edit] Other useful information

• Puffin Good Practice Guide, UK Dept. of Transport, 2006 (http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/roads/tss/gpg/puffingoodpracticeguide01)

• Puffin Good Practice Guide Video, UK Dept. of Transport, 2006 (http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/roads/tss/gpg/)

• The Installation of Puffin Pedestrian Crossings, UK Dept. of Transport, 2002 (http://www.dft.gov.uk/162259/165240/244921/244924/TAL1-02.pdf)

• Puffin Pedestrian Crossing, UK Dept. of Transport, 2001 (http://www.dft.gov.uk/162259/165240/244921/244924/TAL1-01.pdf)