Our ask
Ask #5: Build 2,560 pedestrian crossings per year.
Vision
More people, including kids and the elderly, walk on streets with safer speeds, footpaths and convenient crossings.
Barrier
Not being able to cross and delays at crossings reduce the distances people are able to walk, impacting our local businesses, our health and wellbeing and our ability to access services.
Acion
Provide more crossings where drivers are required to give way are a key way to make walking easier, safer, more convenient.
The problem
Providing safe, regular crossings is key to creating safe, vibrant and inclusive places.
Easy, safe and regular crossings are a key contributor to the economic vitality of main streets and local shopping streets. They are vital for providing equitable and safe access to essential land use for people walking.
Within our centres, walking accounts for the most trips, and almost all trips, regardless of mode of travel to get to the destination, have a walking component (for example, walking to and from the train station or bus stop, walking from the car park to work or the shops). A key way to enable and encourage more people to walk more often is to make walking easier, safer, more direct and to reduce delays and interruptions. Pedestrian crossings, which provide priority to people walking, are vital to this.
Delays, inconveniences and severance (not being able to cross roads, for example) to people walking has significant economic impacts. Delays at crossings have been found to reduce the distances people are able to walk, impacting our local businesses, on health and on people’s ability to access services. Within local neighbourhoods and precincts, being able to cross easily and safely is important to support local businesses, for social cohesion (a sense of community), place attachment, reducing the negative health impacts of loneliness and improving social connections (particularly for youth and older people). People walking have been found to spend more in local stores than people driving overall (less per trip but shop more often). Being able to easily cross from one side of the street to the other is key to facilitating this.
Time and safety is an important consideration when walking around city streets. People walking are particularly vulnerable in crashes with vehicles. Most walking trips require people to cross at least one street. Crossing streets, even those with low vehicle traffic, can be difficult, particularly for more vulnerable members of our population (such as children, older people and people that need more time to cross), and puts people walking in potential conflict situations.
Our ask
Build 2,560 pedestrian crossings per year.
Providing safe, regular crossings is key to creating safe, vibrant and inclusive places.
Easy, safe and regular crossings are a key contributor to the economic vitality of main streets and local shopping streets. They are vital for providing equitable and safe access to essential land use for people walking.
Within our centres, walking accounts for the most trips, and almost all trips, regardless of mode of travel to get to the destination, have a walking component (for example, walking to and from the train station or bus stop, walking from the car park to work or the shops). A key way to enable and encourage more people to walk more often is to make walking easier, safer, more direct and to reduce delays and interruptions. Pedestrian crossings, which provide priority to people walking, are vital to this.
Delays, inconveniences and severance (not being able to cross roads, for example) to people walking has significant economic impacts. Delays at crossings have been found to reduce the distances people are able to walk, impacting our local businesses, on health and on people’s ability to access services. Within local neighbourhoods and precincts, being able to cross easily and safely is important to support local businesses, for social cohesion (a sense of community), place attachment, reducing the negative health impacts of loneliness and improving social connections (particularly for youth and older people). People walking have been found to spend more in local stores than people driving overall (less per trip but shop more often). Being able to easily cross from one side of the street to the other is key to facilitating this.
Time and safety is an important consideration when walking around city streets. People walking are particularly vulnerable in crashes with vehicles. Most walking trips require people to cross at least one street. Crossing streets, even those with low vehicle traffic, can be difficult, particularly for more vulnerable members of our population (such as children, older people and people that need more time to cross), and puts people walking in potential conflict situations.
Our ask
Build 2,560 pedestrian crossings per year.
Tools
Transport for NSW Pedestrian crossing guidelines - link