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Transport for London

Surface Transport

Roads Directorate

Guidance on the Assessment of Pedestrian Guardrail

DOCUMENT CONTROL

Issue Date Change Summary Author Checker Approver

1 May 12 Supercedes Guardrail Risk Assessment Form (GRAF)

Sam Wright

Andrew Ngosa

John Newham

Document reference: SQA-00234

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Contents

Item Page Purpose 2 Policy Background 2 Legal Issues 2 General Issues 4 Maintenance 4 Kerbside Activity 4 Visibility 4 Cyclists on the Carriageway 4 Cycle Parking 5 Vehicle Restraint 5 Traffic Domination 5 Street Clutter 6 Desire Lines 6 Footway Width 7 Driver Perceptions 7 Speed 7 Pedestrian Attitudes 7 Crowd Management 8 Leisure 8 Security 8 Outside Schools 8 Other Practical Uses 9 Slopes and Icy Conditions 9 Vehicles on footways 9 Crossings 10 Staggered Crossings - Disabled People - Blind and Partially Sighted People - Crime - Pedestrian signal aspects

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Links Between Junctions 12 - Links with Breaks 12 - Uninterrupted Links 12 - Smoothing Traffic 13 - High Streets 13 Partial Removal 14 New Guardrail 14

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Purpose

This document supersedes the previous ‘Guardrail Risk Assessment Form’ (GRAF). Its purpose is not to provide a definitive list of when to include or remove pedestrian guardrail (PGR), but rather to aid design engineers in making a decision by highlighting the key factors that should be taken into consideration. The list of issues is by no means exhaustive. Although many sites will share similar characteristics, no two sites are the same and all should be reviewed on a case by case basis. This guidance is based on the experience of analysing and removing PGR at around 150 junctions and 200 staggered crossings in central London. Policy Background

Mayor’s Transport Strategy - “Enhancing pavement space for pedestrians and removing guardrails and other obstacles” Mayor’s Manifesto 2012- “The capital has too many guardrails, restricting the movement of pedestrians and also presenting a hazard for cyclists. I have removed a substantial number of guardrails along pavements, making it easier and safer for pedestrians to cross, and stripped out other unnecessary street clutter. I will continue to work with the boroughs to push forward shared space schemes and scrap guardrails and promote this approach on new developments through the London Plan”

Better streets - “Imagine a blank canvas”

Manual for Streets 2 – “Guardrail is a very intrusive element. It disadvantages pedestrian movement by making people walk further, away from their desire lines and creates an unpleasant feeling of restraint. It also narrows the usable footway which can lead to congestion. It is unsightly and detracts from local character and visual amenity and there is evidence that it can increase traffic speeds and present an increased risk to cyclists who can be crushed against it by vehicles”

DfT Local Transport Note (LTN) 2/09 - Pedestrian Guardrailing “There is no conclusive evidence that the inclusion of PGR at any type of pedestrian crossing or junction has any statistically significant effect on the safety record” (Section 3.4.5)

Legal Issues

Highways Act 1980 - section 66 “(2) A highway authority may provide and maintain in a highway maintainable at the public expense by them which consists of or comprises a carriageway, such raised paving, pillars, walls, rails or fences as they think necessary for the purpose of safeguarding persons using the highway” “(8) A highway authority or council shall pay compensation to any person who sustains damage by reason of the execution by them of works under subsection (2) or (3) above”

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General Issues

Maintenance PGR is a maintenance liability and damaged PGR can pose a risk to road users. Maintenance is a financial burden and can contribute to disruption to the network.

Kerbside Activity PGR can be a hindrance to the emergency services, taxis picking up and dropping off passengers, vehicles loading, passengers exiting cars and buses, and utility companies accessing services on the footway.

Visibility PGR reduces visibility and when viewed from some angles it can act like a wall and may completely obscure children waiting at crossings. However, high visibility PGR can reduce this problem.

Pentonville Road - Before Pentonville Road - After Cyclists on the Carriageway PGR is a hazard to cyclists who can become trapped between it and a vehicle. This is particularly relevant on corners. Removal/non provision of PGR can leave cyclists with an escape route.

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Cycle Parking PGR is frequently used for cycle parking. This may present visibility issues for traffic and reduce the effectiveness of high visibility PGR. If the PGR is removed adequate cycle parking should be provided in its place. It is also important to consider whether removing and replacing it with cycle parking would be cost effective.

Vehicle Restraint Many members of the public falsely believe that PGR is a vehicle restraint barrier. For example, this complaint was received after PGR had been removed from an island in the city: “Whoever made this ludicrous decision will surely come to rue the day he or she made it when (and I mean when) a car or lorry goes out of control and hurtles into a group of pedestrians standing on the island.” PGR will not stop a vehicle travelling at anything other than very low speeds. It therefore provides a false sense of security to both drivers and pedestrians that may result in both paying less care and attention.

Traffic Domination PGR contributes to creating a traffic dominated environment which can increase vehicular speeds and aggressive driver attitudes. Its removal can have dramatic effects on the feel of a location. Examples of recent step change improvements include Oxford Circus, Camden Town and Piccadilly Circus, some of the busiest junctions with pedestrians in the UK.

Oxford Circus - Before After

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Street Clutter PGR gives the street an ugly, cluttered feel. This PGR outside the old Thameslink station at Kings Cross was removed.

Before After Desire Lines Where PGR takes pedestrians off their desire line they often circumnavigate it if they can. When they do so they can then become trapped in the road or forced to jump over the PGR. It is better to design for the reality rather than the theory of how pedestrians should behave.

Kings Cross station - Before

Kings Cross station - After

Hyde Park Corner

Baker Street station

In some situations PGR can put people off using controlled crossings altogether. Following the removal of PGR outside the East London Mosque, the number of people circumventing the crossing and standing in the road reduced by 20%.

A11 outside East London mosque

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Footway Width PGR reduces footway width. This can be a barrier to buggies and wheelchair users and reduce pedestrian comfort levels.

Driver Perceptions PGR can effectively contain the area where the majority of pedestrians cross. This can have the effect of drivers subconciously assuming that pedestrians will only be crossing at these locations. This is not always the case as people sometimes walk around PGR. When there is no PGR it sends out the message that people may be crossing anywhere and motorists take this into consideration. When PGR was removed on Walworth Road there were complaints from drivers that they now had to look out for pedestrians crossing everywhere. Speed PGR increases tunnel vision and the race track feel of a road, which can result in a feeling of safety and higher speeds by drivers, as noted in Manual for Streets 2. On Jamaica Road, following PGR removal, the 85% percentile speed fell from 33 to 30 mph.

Pedestrian Attitudes PGR removal can generate complaints, but it is important to put these into context. Pedestrian attitude surveys were carried out at two junctions after removal and the results showed that the majority of people were in favour of removal. Mile End Road/Burdett Road (203 people)

Outside Borough Station (113 people)

94% noticed the change 73% preferred it without PGR 16% preferred it with PGR 10% unsure/no opinion

85% noticed the change 80% preferred it without PGR 12% preferred it with PGR 8% unsure/no opinion

Top comments from both sites: Easier/Less restrictive/More freedom

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Crowd Management In some situations PGR can be used to effectively contain crowds. Check to see if the area is busier on event days or at certain times. However, PGR was successfully removed outside the Hackney Empire despite the crowds. Therefore a case by case assessment is always required.

Finsbury Park on Arsenal match day Leisure PGR can be useful for people to rest on and lean against

Outside Harrods in the evening Tourists at Buckingham Palace Garden Security Some institutions require PGR for security reasons to prevent vehicles accessing the footway. Bollards could be used as an alternative. In senitive locations consultation should be undertaken with the adjacent premises.

Westminster Magistrates Court Paddington Green Police Station Outside Schools There is no evidence that PGR provides a safety benefit outside schools, although the perception of safety may be a reason to keep it in place or provide it. The school may also wish to use it for crowd management. It is recommended that consultation with the school is undertaken and consideration taken of its views.

Redcliffe School, K+C

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Other Practical Uses PGR is sometimes used for other practical purposes, such as storing bins. The designer should ask if this is this an appropriate use of PGR and what would be the consequences if it was removed; could an alternative be provided, and would it be cost effective to do so?

Slopes, Icy Conditions and Parks PGR can prove useful during icy conditions in certain locations. In situations where crossfall gradients are steeper than usual, PGR can act as a safety catch, particularly for wheelchair users and children on bikes and scooters for example at park exits.

Vehicles on Footways In the past PGR has sometimes been provided to prevent footway parking or vehicles crossing over the footway. With better enforcement this may no longer be required. Bollards, trees and cycle stands can provide the same function without the environmental impact of PGR.

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Crossings

PGR corrals pedestrians into a narrow area and reduces the effective capacity of a crossing. This poses a particular safety hazard when people cross on the red man as they have nowhere to enter the footway, and can become mometarily trapped in the road while they try and squeeze through the crowd.

Kings Cross – Before Kings Cross – After

In busy areas, PGR can result in overcrowding and pedestrians having to queue in the road to reach the footway. This increases journey times for pedestrians as well as traffic, which has to wait longer for them to clear.

Baker St station – people queuing in the road

Waterloo– people stuck in the road

After – people now able to access the safety of the footway more easily and faster

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Staggered Crossings PGR at staggered crossings (or “sheep pens” as they are commonly known) reduces the effective crossing width and creates a tightly constrained, overcrowded central area. Conflict is created between pedestrians travelling in opposite directions who are forced to push past each other which results in an uncomfortable walking environment.

People with Disabilities - It reduces the available space for buggies and wheelchairs

Blind and partially sighted people - Some blind people may use the PGR as guidance, but the kerb edge performs the same function and is the standard delineation between the footway and carriageway. Where a staggered crossing is provided in the middle of an extended central island then a row of deterrent paving may be used at the side to notify pedestrians not to walk on that section Crime - A constrained overcrowded area can increase the opportunity for pick pocketing and people bumping into each other Pedestrian Signal Aspects – If ‘see through’ is considered an issue then consideration should be given to providing louvres

Conflict point Effective

crossing width

Effective crossing width

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Links Between Junctions

There are two questions to consider when assessing links: 1. Is -- or would -- PGR be effective at preventing pedestrians from crossing? 2. Do we want to prevent pedestrians from crossing? Is -- or would -- PGR be effective at preventing pedestrians from crossing? Links with Breaks If there are gaps at side roads and crossovers then, like a border fence with holes, PGR will be ineffective. Below left is Tottenham High Road before the PGR was removed where pedestrians frequently crossed in the gaps. On Euston Road, PGR in this location would be ineffective due to the numerous side roads. Providing PGR in these situations forces pedestrians to cross at side roads where they have to negotiate more vehicle movements.

Tottenham High Road Euston Road Uninterrupted Links Continuous sections of PGR can be effective at controlling the number of people who cross. However, pedestrians usually seek the most direct route so if there are desire lines and little alternative then some people will jump over PGR. This raises the danger of people tripping and falling into the road.

Buckingham Palace Road before and after PGR was removed

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Do we want to prevent pedestrians from crossing? Smoothing Traffic As noted in LTN 2/09, PGR can influence pedestrian behaviour. In the examples below, pedestrians are adequately catered for by controlled crossings at the junctions and subways. The PGR discourages pedestrians from crossing which allows traffic to flow more freely.

Kings Cross Seven Sisters

In other locations, an increase in people crossing informally as a result of no PGR can benefit traffic flow by reducing the number of times a controlled crossing is called. This crossing on Blackfriars Road was removed due to low usage.

High Streets In High Streets where there are desire lines to cross in multiple locations PGR impacts negatively on the environment, causes severance and inconvenience.

The Strand - PGR was removed in 1996 Walworth Rd - around 400m of PGR removed

Tottenham High Rd – Before Tottenham High Rd – After

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Partial Removal

In situations where full removal is not recommended, partial removal of key panels eg next to signals can help to alleviate pedestrian pinch points. New Guardrail

On the TfL network there is an assumption against the provision of new PGR. New PGR requires approval from the Streetscape Review Group. Further information: Contact guardrail@tfl.gov.uk