Walking can replace short car journeys. The Council encourages walking thus easing traffic congestion, reducing pollution and promoting fitness. Here’s information on some key things that the Council is doing to encourage more walking:
Pavement maintenance and replacing flags with tarmac
The Council repairs pavements to keep them safe. Many flagged paths have been relayed with tarmac to reduce tripping hazards. Illegal pavement parking damages pavements creating tripping hazards, particularly where they remain flagged. People should not park on the pavement: the repairs that they cause might be spent on improvements instead.
Pedestrian crossings
‘Puffin’ (Pedestrian User Friendly) crossings are now the standard traffic light controlled crossing. These are an improvement on the older ‘Pelican’ crossing: infra-red detectors hold the ‘green man’ giving more crossing time, particularly for elderly or disabled persons. The Puffin’s ‘green man’ is at chest height, rather than the ‘Pelican’s’ high pole. Zebra crossings are installed in appropriate locations. These crossings entitle people to stop the traffic; they should walk to the pavement edge so that drivers can see that they wish to cross. Pedestrian refuges are installed where pedestrians need some assistance to cross a wide road, taking care not to narrow the road so that cyclists might be placed in danger.
St John’s Precinct
This project will improve the St John’s Church and Cedar Square area for pedestrians, creating a dramatic public space complementing buildings including the Winter Gardens. It will integrate with the Abingdon Street pedestrianisation scheme completed in 2004. A Town Centre Strategy will be brought forward during 2009, which will include further options to improve pedestrian conditions after St John’s Precinct is complete.
Promenade Movement Strategy
The promenade has become difficult for pedestrians to cross. Puffin (Pedestrian User Friendly) crossings have been installed to assist. The Tower Headland project will create a public area outside the iconic Tower, including a ‘comedy carpet’ of show biz names that will link to attractions on the new Tower Headland, currently under construction. Further proposals to improve the promenade are being developed and will be brought forward during 2009.
Key Pedestrian Routes
Schools, shops and workplaces are key destinations and should have convenient and safe access. The Council is implementing Key Pedestrian Routes as part of the Local Transport Plan. Under a Key Pedestrian Route scheme, pedestrian facilities are comprehensively improved, relaying the footpath, putting in dropped kerbs and installing new pedestrian crossings. Bond Street in South Shore is benefiting from such a scheme during 2009, in tandem with wider improvements for the Waterloo Road area.
South Promenade
This improved area is great for a seaside stroll. It’s the backdrop for the ‘Great Promenade Show’ modern sculpture collection, with bracing air and gorgeous views. When the current sea wall works are finished there will be a high quality walking route between southerly Starr Gate and northerly Anchorsholme.
20mph zones
Grange Park estate and the Roseacre area are now 20mph zones. The Talbot and Brunswick area will become a 20mph zone during 2009. Further schemes are planned under the Local Transport Plan. 20mph zones make people’s communities safer and nicer to live in, reducing danger from speeding cars. Schemes are prioritised using accident data. Road humps, speed tables or chicanes slow traffic speeds. 20mph zones have to be ‘self-enforcing’. It’s not possible to just put signs up, so 20mph zone schemes can be expensive.
Road safety training
The Council’s Travel and Road Safety team trains school children to cross roads safely. When new facilities are installed, local school children are taken to try them out. Look at the special Road Safety pages to see the full range of the Travel and Road Safety Team’s activities.
National Road Safety Initiative (NRSI)
Blackpool had the highest child pedestrian casualty level in England and now has one of the lowest, attributable to the Council’s success under this Government funded initiative, which provided resources for more pedestrian crossings at casualty hot spots. |