£100,000 

One hundred thousand pounds.

That is the starting point when the cost of a new zebra crossing is mooted. Which is a staggering sum for something that delivers relatively little. 

Because a zebra crossing is simply a motor vehicle regulation point. It exists because motor vehicles exist, and where it is placed will be heavily influenced not by where people necessarily want to cross, but where traffic engineers feel it is optimal for people to cross. Optimal being heavily influenced by the impact on the ‘network’. And when traffic engineers say ‘network’ they mean the motor vehicle network. People walking, wheeling, cycling… they don’t really factor. 

(Ever wondered why at crossings with ‘PUSH’ buttons you press the button… but then wait… and wait… and wait. That is network optimisation in practise.)

The truth is on most streets we don’t need more expensive crossings, we just need far fewer motor vehicle and more drop kerbs (ideally no kerbs). Then people can cross pretty much wherever they want. And they good news is we can do that far cheaper: say hello to the Low Traffic Neighbourhood (LTNs). 

At a time when public money is tight, the council should be lauded for spending on LTNs. There is no other investment in road safety that comes close to the value for money they offer. Say the establishment of an LTN costs £100,000. Consultations, publicity, officer time, the planters/bollards, signage etc, etc… but instead of one crossing, you get a transformed neighbourhood with:

• Substantial reduction in vehicle numbers
• Substantial reduction in vehicle speeds 
• Substantial reduction in death and injury from vehicles 
• The freedom to cross at will- drop kerbs allowing for wheelers
• Huge increase in walking (no good discreet data on wheeling I am afraid) 
• Modest increase in cycling
• Reduction in crime (excluding bike theft) 
• Negligible impact on boundary roads in most cases

We are talking about Benefit : Cost Ratios (BCRs) here that are simply off the chart. 100:1 kind of BCRs. You can Google ‘Rachel Aldred’ or read a recent presentation here to learn more. 

So next time your councillor bigs up a zebra crossing (or any crossing) ask them this:

“Why are you spending my money so badly?”