A zebra crossing in Portsmouth is the first in the UK to benefit from a new lighting system, with the aim of improving safety for pedestrians.
The crossing on the junction of Clarendon Road and Palmerston Road has had LED panels installed in the road surface which illuminate when a pedestrian approaches. The lights are designed to make the crossing more visible to drivers and the council hopes it will encourage more people to use it at night.
The new lights were funded and developed by road construction firm Colas and have been launched to coincide with the We Shine Portsmouth event, which features artistic light installations across the city.
Cllr Lynne Stagg, Portsmouth City Council’s cabinet member for traffic & transportation, said: “We’re always looking for new ways to improve road safety and I’m delighted we’re the first place in the UK to use this innovative new technology. We chose this crossing because it’s very busy particularly at night with all the bars and restaurants, we want to make the crossing more visible and encourage more people to cross there safely.”
Furthermore, the council and Colas are working with the Department for Transport, with use of the crossing monitored and, if it makes a positive difference, lights could be added to more crossings in the city, and across the country.
Ian Gibson, director of asset contracting at Colas Ltd, added: “We are delighted Portsmouth City Council is leading the way in innovative solutions to improve the road safety and street scene by using the Flowell system developed by Colas.
“This is another demonstration of the collaborative works between the council and Colas brought by the PFI project for the benefit of Portsmouth residents and visitors. It is a first in the UK and we are looking forward to sharing the results of this trial within the industry.”
