Forget zebras, we want to keep puffin (From Oxford Mail)
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Forget zebras, we want to keep puffin
7:28pm Wednesday 10th June 2009 in News
Nora Mackenzie with Hugh Jaeger of Bus Users UK
A row has broken out over the planned removal of a puffin crossing outside County Hall in Oxford.
Oxfordshire County Council wants to replace it with a traditional zebra crossing further up the road on the corner of New Road and Castle Street.
Oxford City Access Forum member Nora Mackenzie wants to keep the crossing. Mrs Mackenzie said: “A zebra crossing poses difficulties for people with mobility problems and is even more frightening for people who are blind or partially sighted.”
The county council said the replacement crossing would be on a raised platform with a 20mph speed limit, and would prioritise the pedestrian over the car.
Transport planner Craig Rossington said it would mean pedestrians could cross without having to wait for lights.
Comments(12)
Andrew:Oxford
says...
10:33pm Wed 10 Jun 09
Are cars crossing the pavement or are pedestrians crossing the road?
On the Cowley Road, there are lane markings indicating that cars exiting the side streets should give way to pedestrains, but for cars turning right into the side streets there is doubt over who has right of way on the raised section.
Either way the current pedestrian crossing is useful as it helps avoid the stinking underpass.
Andrew:Oxford
says...
10:33pm Wed 10 Jun 09
Are cars crossing the pavement or are pedestrians crossing the road?
On the Cowley Road, there are lane markings indicating that cars exiting the side streets should give way to pedestrains, but for cars turning right into the side streets there is doubt over who has right of way on the raised section.
Either way the current pedestrian crossing is useful as it helps avoid the stinking underpass.
Old zimner
says...
6:43am Thu 11 Jun 09
Power
says...
8:43am Thu 11 Jun 09
johnbanbury
says...
9:37am Thu 11 Jun 09
The dangerous mix of pedestrians, bicycles, cars and lorrys usually works not just because of the rules but also because those rules are applied with a certain messure of good sense on everybodies part. Injuries usually happen when that good sense is absent. I do not believe that putting in more speed humps will help. If pedestrians have to wait for the lights to change, then they are just having to put up with the same inconvience that drivers have.
Old zimner
says...
10:06am Thu 11 Jun 09
monachus
says...
9:06pm Thu 11 Jun 09
No one has the 'right of way' in the Highway Code
Hugh Jaeger
says...
11:06pm Thu 11 Jun 09
Blindfold yourself, wear earplugs, then dare to cross a zebra crossing in front of traffic you cannot see and canot properly hear. Remember that most of the motor vehicles using New Road are 'buses, which weigh about 20 Tonnes.
Craig Rossington and a small group of his colleagues are pursuing an Animal Farm style dotty dogma that says "zebra crossings good, puffin and pelican crossings bad". The current puffin is the right sort of crossing, but arguably in the wrong place to link Castle Street 'bus stops with Queen Street shops. The proposed zebra would be in the right place, but it would be the wrong sort of crossing.
Destruction of New Road's puffin crossing may increase casualties - but only because it is part of Transform Oxford's set of plans to wreck elderly and disabled people's access to and across the city centre, thus deterring many people from trying to visit or cross central Oxford. People won't have accidents in a place if you drive them away from visiting it!
Bolstered by last week's Conservative landslide, our arrogant County Council presses ahead with its dogma, heedless of whom it hurts. Welcome to Animal Farm!
Hugh Jaeger
says...
11:08pm Thu 11 Jun 09
Andrew:Oxford
says...
11:13pm Thu 11 Jun 09
monachus wrote:Even the cyclists who are overtaking me whilst I'm waiting to turn right?
Just noticed this story. Sorry to disappoint everyone, but Rule 206 of the Highway Code clearly states that cars turning at a road junction must give way to pedestrians who are crossing.
No one has the 'right of way' in the Highway Code
(Anyone know why my original comment appears 3 times on this story whilst it was only submitted once and appeared just the once earlier?)
Old zimner
says...
3:56am Fri 12 Jun 09
Andrew:Oxford says...
10:33pm Wed 10 Jun 09
Are cars crossing the pavement or are pedestrians crossing the road?
On the Cowley Road, there are lane markings indicating that cars exiting the side streets should give way to pedestrains, but for cars turning right into the side streets there is doubt over who has right of way on the raised section.
Either way the current pedestrian crossing is useful as it helps avoid the stinking underpass.