NI to get more pedestrian crossings

NIO Minister, John Spellar has announced the adoption of revised Roads Service procedures, which will improve facilities for walking, by providing more controlled pedestrian crossings throughout Northern Ireland.

Volume and speed of traffic, number of pedestrians, site location, road width, proximity of site to amenities, the number of more vulnerable and less mobile road users and the pedestrian collision history of the site were all taken into account in the revised assessment process in coming to the decision.

Mr Spellar said: "The revised assessment guidance, allows Roads Service to make additional allowance for the needs of the more vulnerable road users, such as elderly people, pedestrians with prams, unaccompanied children, visually and hearing impaired people and people with mobility problems.

"By revising the procedures and lowering the assessment requirements, Roads Service is underlining the commitment, given in the Regional Transportation Strategy, to improve conditions for walking."

It is hoped that the adoption of the revised guidance will allow Roads Service to install more crossings than ever before.

The first new crossings approved under the new procedures will be at sites in Ballygowan, Belfast, Crumlin, Dungannon, Londonderry, Lurgan, Moy, and Portadown.

(MB)