Shane Moynihan (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
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I am pleased the Topical Issue matter I raise has been selected for discussion. It relates to safety concerns around the use of signage-only zebra crossings, as are permitted under Department of Transport guidelines from February 2024.

Pedestrian crossings are something I often sought as a councillor, as I believe they are key to encouraging active travel, especially for older pedestrians and children. We want the latter to get in the habit of walking to school and crossing roads safely. As a local representative, much like the Minister of State and other Deputies, one of the most common requests we get is to consider the installation of a pedestrian crossing, whether it is controlled or uncontrolled. When we think of a pedestrian crossing, many of us think of the controlled version or the classic one which is known as the type A crossing - the one with the flashing beacons - but I understand how we have arrived at the situation where type B crossings are the ones that are being introduced. Recently, I reviewed the results of the 2022 pilot study by the NTA which evaluated the effectiveness of the signage-only crossings. In the eight pilot schemes, it was found that they were safe, effective and economical.

I am aware of what drove the need to consider these types of crossing. It is due to the reduced installation and maintenance costs, but we must also ensure they are safe not only for drivers but pedestrians, cyclists and other road users.

The reason I raise the matter today is because we have seen the installation of these pedestrian crossings at scale in my constituency, in areas like the Old Lucan Road, Palmerstown, Main Street, Newcastle, and Castle Road and St. Finian's, Lucan, as well, where local representatives have sought the consideration of the installation of pedestrian crossings. The local authorities have responded, in adherence to national guidelines, by installing the signage-only crossings.

However, in the same breath, I have also been inundated in recent weeks with concerns raised by road users, be they pedestrians, drivers or cyclists, about the safety concerns arising from these crossings. Many of them relate to a lack of visibility for drivers approaching the crossings. Concerns have arisen for pedestrians because they realise that drivers do not notice the crossings or, for whatever reason, they do not react in time to stop. Perhaps it is because they do not see the luminous strip or the signage that is there, either because public lighting in the area is not sufficient, it is obstructed by trees, or there is not enough advance warning given on the roads.

Accordingly, there is a loss of trust in these crossings as a safe way for pedestrians to cross the road. However, I believe there are still economical engineering solutions that would enhance the safety of these crossings. We are familiar with Belisha beacons. I understand the rationale of the NTA to move away from these beacons because of the excessive wiring and maintenance costs attached to them but I ask that the Department would consider the installation of solar powered or battery powered Belisha beacons, which are economical and do not require the heavy wiring and maintenance costs attached to the original crossings. I fully understand the NTA's position because one of the frustrations I have had with controlled crossings being opened in recent years is that ESB Networks is under incredible pressure, and that leads to a delay with the installation of pedestrian crossings.

There is a happy medium. It is worth looking at innovative new technology like the solar powered battery Belisha beacons that do not require wiring. We could also consider other enhancements for signage-only crossings. I refer to more advanced markings on the road to indicate to drivers that there is a crossing ahead. I am also interested in hearing from the Department on whether research has been done on how driver behaviour must be influenced and on educated to help people to adjust to the new crossings. We must all encourage active travel and safety, but a review of the design standards is necessary to enhance safety for all road users.

John Cummins (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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I apologise as I have a cold, but I will try to get through the reply. I thank Deputy Shane Moynihan for raising this important issue, which I am taking on behalf of the Minister for Transport today. As the Deputy rightly points out, in 2022, the Department of Transport, in conjunction with the National Transport Authority and Transport Infrastructure Ireland sought to investigate the provision of pilot schemes to assess the feasibility of applying to the Irish context the experience of other countries where zebra crossings without flashing orange beacons are in place.

The need for the pilot scheme, as the Deputy outlined, arose from the desire to increase the number of safe crossing locations for pedestrians and active travel use in a cost-effective and sustainable manner across the country. The proposals contained within the feasibility study were investigated in two pilot studies. The first study involved the NTA's cycle design office, in collaboration with the Department and the active travel teams in Limerick City and County Council and Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council. The NTA began a pilot scheme for a new type of zebra crossing. The new layout comprises the installation of eight new crossings, five in Limerick and three in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown, without flashing orange beacons. The beacons were replaced by signage and used in low-volume traffic areas.

The second study was undertaken by TII. This pilot study focused on a low-cost measure to improve pedestrian safety, using high-visibility uncontrolled crossing, HVC, markings instead of flashing orange beacons on a national road. Both pilot projects show there is a case for utilising zebra crossings without flashing beacons in certain situations, and subject to certain criteria. This does not eliminate the need for zebra crossings with flashing beacons, but does allow for the wider roll-out of zebra crossings without the need for more expensive electrical connections to the beacons, as outlined by Deputy Moynihan. The utilisation of a sign or no sign for these crossings is shown to be widely used across Europe.

The results of the first pilot scheme have demonstrated that zebra crossings without Belisha beacons could be suitable in the Irish context. The report recommends that consideration is given to wider implementation of this type of zebra crossing in certain situations. A sign with a fluorescent yellow border is recommended as the only permitted sign type as it is more visible and recognisable.

It is further recommended that this type of crossing should only be used where there is a posted speed limit of 50 km/h or lower, specified low traffic volumes, good pedestrian-driver visibility, and the crossing location to have adequate street lighting. In addition, the crossing should be on a flat-top ramp or raised platform.

The second pilot and trial undertaken by TII at four sites in Donegal has demonstrated that zebra crossings without beacons are suitable in rural towns carrying national traffic. Therefore, the report recommends that the pilot and trial sites are retained as permanent pedestrian crossings and that additional crossings, where required, are implemented in line with certain criteria such as operational speeds being low and checked prior to site selection, the crossing area and approach being clearly visible to approaching drivers, only single lane two-way traffic, and the necessity for the crossing to be well lit.

The visibility of the crossing can be further increased by providing raised tables or platforms to provide maximum visibility to drivers and to provide additional comfort for visually impaired users. In addition, parking must not obstruct the visibility of the footpath on the approaches to the crossing. The study stated that this type of crossing could be implemented elsewhere on the national road network in towns and villages subject to certain site and layout parameters and recommendations.

I take the Deputy's point about solar power and other matters he raised about further advance warning and I will bring his points to the Minister for Transport, Deputy O'Brien.

Shane Moynihan (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister of State for engaging with a number of the points I raised. I will make a number of observations on the guidelines. For areas such as Newcastle and Lucan where there is two-lane traffic, there also areas such as Main Street or Castle Road which are not low-volume traffic areas. In the first instance, I request that updated guidance be issued to local authorities so that they do specify how they are determining that an area is a low-volume traffic area. Certainly, Main Street, Newcastle, and Castle Road, Lucan, would not be areas I would see as having low-volume traffic. As I do not think they would satisfy the points, that updated guidance should be there.

It sounds a little trite but I also ask that any inspection of these crossings happens at night. I have often received responses from engineers that they inspected a crossing, probably at 4 p.m. when it is bright, so they are not necessarily assessing the level of public lighting as well.

I appreciate the Minister of State taking on board the issue of solar-powered beacons. It is a cost-effective solution. Drivers are used to seeing beacons that give advance warning to pedestrians, but they also give confidence to the pedestrians who use them as well, as they know a signal to slow down has been given to drivers.

I appreciate the Minister of State taking on board the need to think of the advance road markings and I would point out that beacons like this are used in the safe route to schools schemes deployed around the country by the National Transport Authority. The children crossing signs, for example, have battery installations in the back of those signs so there is precedent for using those sorts of technology. Having researched this issue, a large number of Irish companies supply these sorts of beacons so it is worthwhile to engage with them. It enhances the safety of these crossings as well. Notwithstanding this, I ask for the issuing of updated guidance to the council on how to define a low-volume traffic area, and to make sure engineers are examining these crossings when there is no daylight.

John Cummins (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Deputy for raising this issue and I will take his points back to the Minister, Deputy O'Brien. It is important to say the Government is committed to further increasing the number of safe crossing locations for pedestrians and vulnerable road users. We need to provide additional options that are not reliant on those connections because of the capacity constraints and the construction time and ongoing operational costs. I hear the Deputy's point about the solar element of this. There are now two options over and above the flashing beacon. I will reiterate that it is not that we will not have any flashing beacon areas into the future. It is important to highlight that. Of course these matters are always kept under review and if further guidance needs to be issued to the local authorities in that regard, that is something we can both take up with the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, together.