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NEW SIGNAGE-ONLY zebra crossings will be rolled out across Dublin in line with new road safety regulations, it has been announced.
The adoption of the new-look pedestrian crossings is motivated by what Dublin City Council (DCC) says is a need to reduce the costs associated with traditional flashing amber beacon crossings.
In place of traditional flashing beacons, the crossings will be recognisable by a 600mm square sign with a fluorescent yellow border containing the image of a man crossing the road, similar to those seen in mainland Europe.
The DCC says introduction of the new crossings will be made where:
Successful trials of the crossing carried out by the Department of Transport last year in conjunction with the National Transport Authority resulted in updated legislation being brought in.
The new legislation also states that all vehicles must stop and yield right of way to any pedestrian who is waiting to cross or has commenced crossing the road at the zebra crossing.
This differs from the previous law which stipulated that vehicles need only stop when a pedestrian was already on the crossing.
Two of the new “Type B” crossings have since been installed on the Blackditch Road in Ballyfermot and on South William Street in Dublin city centre.
Two other categories of pedestrian crossing are defined in the updated rules: “Type A” and “Type B”.
Type A is indicated by black and white stripes on the road accompanied by flashing amber beacons on either side.
Type C is used in built-up town centres where speed limits do not exceed 30km/h and is designated by a raised table with neither flashing beacons nor signage.
The DCC announced that it intends to install further such zebra crossings later in the year.
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I was of the opinion that zebra crossings and associated lights were to save lives…. not money!!
@Ollie Fitzpatrick: It’s always about da money. Less injured, less costs. Simples.
@Ollie Fitzpatrick: By reducing the cost of installing a zebra crossing, more zebra crossings can be installed, thereby saving more lives.
So cost before safety ?
@You Cant Be Serious: you can’t be serious
@Joe Willis: see how many people hate you jonny 40 accounts? Everyone does. It has the most likes on the next article
@You Cant Be Serious: what’s the point in having them and people can’t even read them
The pedestrian also needs to be educated, a zebra crossing is not an automatic stopping machine.
@Alan Clegg: reading this I think it might be now. Pedestrian on or waiting to cross. I wonder if with these new crossings the pedestrian might get run over by a cyclist using their new lanes that run along the path!
@Alan Clegg: If there are no traffic lights to manage a pedestrian crossing, pedestrians always have right of way when waiting or crossing.
@Alan Clegg: zebra crossing are not permitted to be installed on roads where speed limit is greater than 50kms per hour. A lot of those roads will be reduced to 30km an hour under new plans. When cars are approaching a zebra crossing they should slow down in anticipation of pedestrians. Not sure how driver could not anticipate stopping when approaching a zebra crossing.
The man in the foreground needs to be taught how to use a zebra crossing,you don’t walk down the road over it.
‘Stop, Look and Listen’ before you cross the road !
Look right, Look left then look right again if all is clear cross and keep looking in both directions, *NOT* at your phone!
@Nick Bowie: Don’t upend the world now! We crossed looking at phone for years now and it often works.
Well if it’s anything like the other Dublin city council ideas, it will be absolutely perfect.
There’s a new type of zebra crossing coming to Dublin streets but the same type of giraffes will be crossing on them.
What? Not Pride Progress markings?
The signs approaching a humpback bridge will also be changed,and will now contain a picture of a camel.
Why did they use Aldi signs? Very confusing.
That’s not a zebra in the picture, it’s a black and white dog.
Shabby Road.
I was driving in over in England last year.Recent Highway Code changes in the uk have proven v popular with pedestrians and cyclists.
A) you must not pass a cyclist at less than 1.5metres. Cyclists must ride out at least 0.5 m from the kerb edge .
B) a vehicle turning in to a side street from a main road must stop and allow waiting pedestrians to cross regardless of a dedicated crossing or not.
In general the good folks of the uk seem to obey their Highway Code . Wish we could say the same .
About time. Dublin is poisoned by pedestrian traffic lights, fossil fuel powered and constantly stopping all forms of traffic even when there are zero pedestrians!! Total nonsense. Indeed Dublin has far too many traffic lights in general. Negative for the environment, economically damaging and undermines road safety.
@Fred: pedestrians nights don’t change to red unless the button is pushed so no, they’re not stopping traffic even with zero pedestrians.
I’m going to head over to Twitter to check out the conspiracy freaks.
People don’t even stop at the flashing light pedestrian crossings so I’m not sure how this will work before someone gets hurt. Surely safety shouldn’t be a cost cutting measure! Also to teach and educate drivers they should be shown the Ricky Gervais pedestrian crossing clip.
Too many people see the world in terms of black and white … I guess that’s what makes zebra crossings to effective.
The reality of this is just to reduce costs of putting in zebra crossings. They want to retrofit zebras at all side road junctions around the country to give pedestrian priority across the junction. A slightly different approach to what the UK did but similar in that cars will have to stop on the main road to yield to pedestrians. Onus is fully on drivers as pedestrians have full priority and many won’t look before crossing.
Don’t read articles without comments enabled
They are called pedestrian crossings now.
The Zebras have been taken back to the zoo.
@Thomas O’Brien: They didn’t like it the first time. They’re going to the pictures tomorrow.
@Larry Betts:
What are they going to do on Saturday.
That’s awesome. Another one to ignore. My friends from Napoli have no concept for those, nothing. So be aware when you use one.
Some people seem to think that just be step out on the crossing that the traffic will automatically stop.
Doesn’t a person have to stop and put one foot forward to show their intent in crossing ?
An education campaign for pedestrians would be in order also.
Many do not understand stopping distances for cars.
Perhaps introduce zigzag lines with appropriate lengths so pedestrians do not attempt to cross if traffic already in zigzag zone.
Money
Live Zebra’s ?
The government should be investing in HVM barriers
What about those who go diagonally across the roads . Which is totally incorrect. They don’t use crossings or lights.
Driving in Paris the rule for zebra crossings is that if the pedestrian isn’t actually blocking your way then you drive at full speed through the crossing.
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