Following the tragic accident on 23 February 2017 which resulted in the death of a pedestrian at Kingsdown Crossroads the Borough Council’s Highway Engineers have been considering changes that can be made at this junction to improve the safety of pedestrians crossing.
After conclusion of the inquest on 19 July 2017, Swindon Borough Council is now consulting on proposals to introduce signalised pedestrian crossing facilities at this location.
Options being considered
An analysis of the current operation of the traffic signals at Kingsdown Crossroads has been carried out, including an analysis of traffic and pedestrian volumes. The following options are being considered:
- Provide zebra crossings for pedestrians – It is not recommended to combine zebra crossings with signal controlled junctions due to the confusion it may create over who has priority – pedestrians or traffic on a green light
- Provide signal controlled crossings on one arm of the junction at a time – Traffic is currently permitted to turn all movements when on a green light so it is not possible to isolate one arm of the junction at a time to give pedestrians the opportunity to cross. Due to the proximity of adjacent buildings it is not possible to provide extra traffic lanes at the STOP lines and manage traffic movements to add this flexibility to the junction
- Provide signal controlled crossings on all arms of the junction at the same time, an “all red” stage – This is the preferred option.
The following plan illustrates the preferred scheme to modify the signals and provide an “all red” stage for all four arms of the junction, to give pedestrians dedicated opportunity to cross:
If you would like to give your views on the plan showing the proposed arrangements and potential traffic delay scenarios, please use the online questionnaire below:
Kingsdown Crossroads Consultation survey
The survey runs from Monday, 18 September until Monday, 9 October 2017
Comments will be collated and reported back to Ward Councillors and the Cabinet Member for consideration of the next steps.