Thursday 30 December 2010

City Road/Tullideph Road pedestrian crossing

Last month, the new traffic lights at the City Road/Tullideph Road became operational.   However, since then I have received a number of residents' concerns about the way the crossing is operating for pedestrians.   This is well summarised by one resident's comments :        

"Regarding the Traffic Lights at Tullideph/City Road they are working although the time for crossing is very short as they change from Green to Red before one is half way across the road and there is no beeping sound which is not very convenient for a person who has impaired sight."

The City Council has advised me :
 
"The nearside redman greenman puffin pedestrian facility at the refurbished traffic signals at City Road / Tullideph Road are designed to operate so that the pedestrian sees the greenman indication (invitation to cross) and sets off across the road.

With a puffin facility, there is no indicator at the far side of the road to confuse the pedestrian when the indicator changes from greenman to redman. And when the pedestrian sets off across the road having seen the greenman, he is guaranteed enough time to cross the road, irrespective of whether he sees the greenman return to the redman indication. But the arrangement should be that once the pedestrian sees the greenman and begins to cross, he does not see any indication thereafter to confuse him (no indicator on the far side of the road).

As to the absence of an audible indication, I will have this checked and rectified."

A site visit with residents, myself and a City Council roads officer to look at the junction's operation will take place in the near future.