Countdown to pedestrian/shared-green in UK

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SA_SA_SA
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Joined: 31 Oct 2009, 1:46pm

Countdown to pedestrian/shared-green in UK

Post by SA_SA_SA »

In anither thread
mjr wrote: 5 Aug 2022, 11:44pm
bohrsatom wrote: 5 Aug 2022, 10:43pm 2) when junctions are signal controlled, cyclists are prioritised above cars so the wait to cross is not long.
They also have the cool countdown timers around their WAIT ("WACHT") light-up, often triggered by ground detectors, not a beg button. This persuades you it's not long to wait, shows you've been detected and allows you to get ready to go. It's very cool when the countdown suddenly accelerates because more cyclists have arrived and the controller is set up to avoid bike jams.

For some reason, the UK only uses countdown timers for the remaining green time, not the more useful Dutch use to show the remaining red time. Probably because the UK countdown would be embarrassingly long.
I dont see any reason why the UK couldn't use both (as well as just count to green where there is no amber countdown, ie most crossings currently):

ie, with the (red-coloured?) countdown to crossing-green shown on the panel beside any illuminated red symbol/ wait text (I suppose it would be easier to place it below wait text ).
I still prefer farside pedestrian/shared-use aspects but dont object to complementary nearside panels being used as repeaters for said farside aspects. However, I think the countdown to pedestrian-green aspect should only be on the nearside panel.

One advantage of a panel count down (to green) on toucan-puffins is it could take over the physical place of the annoying legally confused/inconsistent red cycle symbol, which offers advice like the red pedestrian aspect but differs from the preexisting meaning of a legal instruction of 'must stop' on a road-traffic-signal-head.... The fact that said toucan is a shared crossing can be inferred from either the unlit (but visible) green cycle symbol and/or a small shared use symbol, on the panel pole.
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Stevek76
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Re: Countdown to pedestrian/shared-green in UK

Post by Stevek76 »

Because persuading the dft to do something new and not in TSRGD is a long and painful process (though perhaps a little better than it has been in the last couple of years).

I did think there was at least one cycle detecting crossing about in England but might have dreamt that! :lol:

An even better alternative is simply for the crossing to rest on the cycle/pedestrian stage and switch to the road when necessary.
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Bmblbzzz
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Re: Countdown to pedestrian/shared-green in UK

Post by Bmblbzzz »

I was thinking just the other day that the countdown I'd like to see is seconds from red man appearing to red traffic signal disappearing. At most crossings, there's ample time to cross in this "dual red" phase but if you get to the crossing when the red man's already appeared, you don't know how much is left.
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freiston
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Re: Countdown to pedestrian/shared-green in UK

Post by freiston »

Stevek76 wrote: 8 Aug 2022, 10:15pm Because persuading the dft to do something new and not in TSRGD is a long and painful process (though perhaps a little better than it has been in the last couple of years).

I did think there was at least one cycle detecting crossing about in England but might have dreamt that! :lol:

An even better alternative is simply for the crossing to rest on the cycle/pedestrian stage and switch to the road when necessary.
On the Coundon Cycleway in Coventry, there's a two-way cycle lane that crosses from one side of the road to the other, with traffic lights. It senses cycles on the cycleway and stops the main road traffic. When it first went into service, I used it a few times and was impressed - at speeds of about 10mph (fine for approaching a red traffic light imho), most times I didn't have to stop - my light changed to green before I got to the stop line but occasionally I had to stop for a couple of seconds or so . I haven't used it recently and I don't know if the timings have been changed to give the cyclists a (longer) wait.

It's not showing on Google Maps/Earth yet but I did find this Youtube video, filmed on a wet miserable day where the crossing is used - a short wait. The link starts from the point the cyclist approaches the crossing:

https://youtu.be/85mEwp8KGW8?t=136
Disclaimer: Treat what I say with caution and if possible, wait for someone with more knowledge and experience to contribute. ;)
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