The Zebra, Pelican and Puffin Pedestrian Crossings Regulations and General Directions 1997

Prospective

SECTION IVE+W+SMOVEMENT OF TRAFFIC AT CROSSINGS

Scope of Section IVE+W+S

17.  This Section of these Regulations is made under section 25 of the 1984 Act with respect to the movement of traffic at and in the vicinity of crossings.

Prohibition against the stopping of vehicles on crossingsE+W+S

18.  The driver of a vehicle shall not cause the vehicle or any part of it to stop within the limits of a crossing unless he is prevented from proceeding by circumstances beyond his control or it is necessary for him to stop to avoid injury or damage to persons or property.

Pedestrians not to delay on crossingsE+W+S

19.  No pedestrian shall remain on the carriageway within the limits of a crossing longer than is necessary for that pedestrian to pass over the crossing with reasonable despatch.

Prohibition against the stopping of vehicles in controlled areasE+W+S

20.—(1) For the purposes of this regulation and regulations 21 and 22 the word “vehicle” shall not include a pedal bicycle not having a sidecar attached to it, whether or not additional means of propulsion by mechanical power are attached to the bicycle.

(2) Except as provided in regulations 21 and 22 the driver of a vehicle shall not cause it or any part of it to stop in a controlled area.

Exceptions to regulation 20E+W+S

21.  Regulation 20 does not prohibit the driver of a vehicle from stopping it in a controlled area—

(a)if the driver has stopped it for the purpose of complying with regulation 25 or 26;

(b)if the driver is prevented from proceeding by circumstances beyond his control or it is necessary for him to stop to avoid injury or damage to persons or property; or

(c)when the vehicle is being used for police, fire brigade or ambulance purposes.

Further exceptions to regulation 20E+W+S

22.—(1) Regulation 20 does not prohibit the driver of a vehicle from stopping it in a controlled area—

(a)for so long as may be necessary to enable the vehicle to be used for the purposes of—

(i)any building operation, demolition or excavation;

(ii)the removal of any obstruction to traffic;

(iii)the maintenance, improvement or reconstruction of a road; or

(iv)the laying, erection, alteration, repair or cleaning in or near the crossing of any sewer or of any main, pipe or apparatus for the supply of gas, water or electricity, or of any telecommunications apparatus kept installed for the purposes of a telecommunications code system or of any other telecommunications apparatus lawfully kept installed in any position,

but only if the vehicle cannot be used for one of those purposes without stopping in the controlled area; or

(b)if the vehicle is a public service vehicle being used—

(i)in the provision of a local service; or

(ii)to carry passengers for hire or reward at separate fares,

and the vehicle, having proceeded past the crossing to which the controlled area relates, is waiting in that area in order to take up or set down passengers; or

(c)if he stops the vehicle for the purpose of making a left or right turn.

(2) In paragraph (1) “local service” has the meaning given in section 2 of the Transport Act 1985(1) but does not include an excursion or tour as defined by section 137(1) of that Act.

Prohibition against vehicles proceeding across Pelican or Puffin crossingsE+W+S

23.  When vehicular light signals at a Pelican or Puffin crossing are displaying the red light signal the driver of a vehicle shall not cause it to contravene the prohibition given by that signal by virtue of regulation 12 or 13.

Prohibition against vehicles overtaking at crossingsE+W+S

24.—(1) Whilst any motor vehicle (in this regulation called “the approaching vehicle”) or any part of it is within the limits of a controlled area and is proceeding towards the crossing, the driver of the vehicle shall not cause it or any part of it—

(a)to pass ahead of the foremost part of any other motor vehicle proceeding in the same direction; or

(b)to pass ahead of the foremost part of a vehicle which is stationary for the purpose of complying with regulation 23, 25 or 26.

(2) In paragraph (1)—

(a)the reference to a motor vehicle in sub-paragraph (a) is, in a case where more than one motor vehicle is proceeding in the same direction as the approaching vehicle in a controlled area, a reference to the motor vehicle nearest to the crossing; and

(b)the reference to a stationary vehicle is, in a case where more than one vehicle is stationary in a controlled area for the purpose of complying with regulation 23, 25 or 26, a reference to the stationary vehicle nearest the crossing.

Precedence of pedestrians over vehicles at Zebra crossingsE+W+S

25.—(1) Every pedestrian, if he is on the carriageway within the limits of a Zebra crossing, which is not for the time being controlled by a constable in uniform or traffic warden, before any part of a vehicle has entered those limits, shall have precedence within those limits over that vehicle and the driver of the vehicle shall accord such precedence to any such pedestrian.

(2) Where there is a refuge for pedestrians or central reservation on a Zebra crossing, the parts of the crossing situated on each side of the refuge for pedestrians or central reservation shall, for the purposes of this regulation, be treated as separate crossings.

Precedence of pedestrians over vehicles at Pelican crossingsE+W+S

26.  When the vehicular light signals at a Pelican crossing are showing the flashing amber signal, every pedestrian, if he is on the carriageway or a central reservation within the limits of the crossing (but not if he is on a central reservation which forms part of a system of staggered crossings) before any part of a vehicle has entered those limits, shall have precedence within those limits over that vehicle and the driver of the vehicle shall accord such precedence to any such pedestrian.