ePetition details

1. There have been no reported pedestrian accidents in Chase Way for over 35 years to our knowledge. We believe Barnet’s (LBBs) attempt to improve access for pedestrians to cross, will increase accident potential if a zebra is placed at a crossroads junction, on a hill, with low visibility, parked cars on the approach, adjacent driveways all around, and no patrol.

2. Government statistics show 23.9% of all urban pedestrian traffic accidents arose on or within 50 metres of a crossing. Croydon CC website accept 3 accidents p.a.per zebra, so where accidents in an area are lower, as is the case here, residents may well be better off without one.

3. LBB offers zebras without a ‘Lollipop’ assistant – i.e. unpatrolled, so the burden of safety falls on the user.

4. There are multiple inconsistencies and compromises in the Capita Safety Report of Nov 2016 and the Highways design, when compared with the Design of Pedestrian Crossings LTN 1/95 and 2/95. The Safety Report steers opinion by omission of points. It recommends a SW zebra, yet excludes crucial dangers identified in the main body, e.g:

5. The Safety Report recognises a SW zebra imposes risk on 2 homes directly impacted by it, one resident of whom is disabled. It identifies a SW zebra will be “too close” for cars on those driveways to pull out safely. It mitigates the risk, stating homeowners should “be able to anticipate the possibility of pedestrians”. That is not possible as at one of the homes, the driver needs to move 2 metres forward on their driveway to be able to see beyond their party wall.

6. The Safety Report also identifies that “if a vehicle is waiting to pull out of a driveway and is stopped on the vehicle crossover then this could impede visibility to a pedestrian, more specifically a small child, waiting at the crossing point.” Yet this is ignored in its summaries and final recommendations.

7. The Safety Report identifies “random crossing points” in the vicinity of the proposed zebra. LTN 1/95 states once installed, a zebra will become a ‘focus’ of concentration for drivers and the 50 metre approach to it both sides, becomes potentially more hazardous for pedestrians as drivers’ attention is drawn to that ‘focus’. LTN 1/95 states for this reason, the crossing should not be placed at an area with random crossing patterns. The Report seriously fails in its recommendation by not mentioning this.

8. Given 67% of pedestrians cross at the NE side, the hazard is compounded by the ‘within 50 metres’ hazard not in the drivers ‘focus’. The Safety Report fails to analyse where people cross, or critically analyse it. Children will not turn back on themselves to head towards Chase Side. The pedestrian line will not change.

9. Additionally, multiple distractions add risk to pedestrians with a crossroads: the zebra is at a junction, on a downhill approach, a very nearby immediate left turn, downhill from Cecil Road being only a few metres away, all diluting drivers ‘focus’.

10. The safety risk is made worse from the pedestrian viewpoint, since children are currently attuned to the road risk of Chase Way and so cross with a high degree of awareness. Place a zebra there and children will lose that awareness, seeing the zebra as their right of way.

11. This is further exacerbated in autumn/winter by the low-sun blinding approaching drivers, especially at school leaving time (3.15pm to 6pm). This too reduces driver ‘focus’.

12. LTN 2/95 recommends a crossing should not be too near a left turn junction (with Cecil Road). It also has a telegraph pole obstruction which may or may not be relocated.

13. The Telegraph pole is a serious blind spot and will disrupt drivers ‘focus’ further.

This ePetition ran from 22/12/2016 to 31/03/2017 and has now finished.

43 people signed this ePetition.