Pedestrians meant to get priority at junctions now: It isn’t happening
REPORTER TRIES OUT THE RULES AND FINDS FEW OBEYING THEM
HIGHWAY Code rules introduced at the end of last month changed the hierarchy for those using the roads.
The rule dictates that traffic now has to cede to pedestrians who are, or who are about to begin crossing at a junction.
The change has been controversial, with some suggesting it will encourage pedestrians to walk into the road recklessly and lead to an increase in collisions.
Others said the change will encourage motorists to be more conscious of pedestrians crossing.
I visited Narborough Road in Leicester – one of the busiest roads in the city – to see whether drivers would give way to me at two junctions.
I chose Harrow Road and Gaul Street which were particularly busy.
The experiment was simple, I would look to cross the road as a car was indicating to turn into it and see if they stopped to let me proceed.
I was there for about 40 minutes and in that time, only one driver let me cross before they turned in.
The rest – 10 cars and vans in total – all drove into the junction regardless.
More often than not, I had to jog to the other side of the road to avoid a I had to stop after a few close calls.
Casual observation indicated that the picture was the same at other junctions off Narborough Road area, with pedestrians clearly having to wait for the coast to be clear before they crossed.
Maybe drivers are still coming to terms with the new rules or are yet to hear about them, or maybe they know the rules and are just choosing to ignore them.
In total, nine sections of the Code have been updated, with 50 rules added or amended. The changes are advisory at this time, so non-compliance will not result in a fine.
When it comes to crossing the road at junctions, there have been three amendments:
■ When people are crossing or waitbump. ing to cross at a junction, other traffic should give way;
■ If people have started crossing and traffic wants to turn in to the road, the people crossing have priority and the traffic should give way;
■ People driving, riding a motorcycle or cycling must give way to people on a zebra crossing and people walking and cycling on a parallel crossing.