Interview surveys were conducted during April and May 1999 with 31 road controlling authorities (RCAs) to investigate procedures and programmes for three safety areas - skid resistance, pedestrian platforms and floodlighting pedestrian crossings.
Field surveys were conducted at a sample of sites to obtain a 'snapshot' of the on-road situation relative to the standards, verify responses to the interview and to discuss problems or successes with RCA staff.
This report details the results of surveys of pedestrian platforms. Companion reports detail the survey results of the other two safety areas.
Performance was measured with respect to Traffic Note 2: Platforms as Crossing Points - Guidelines (Traffic Note 2) issued by the Land Transport Safety Authority (LTSA) in June 1998. However, the surveys were also designed to collect data on the current practices, policies and procedures for the installation of pedestrian platforms. Information gathered by these surveys has been made available to the TRAFINZ (Traffic Institute of NZ) group preparing guidelines for pedestrian facilities.
Most of the territorial local authorities surveyed had installed pedestrian platforms in their area. None of the Transit New Zealand regions surveyed had installed pedestrian platforms and the installation of pedestrian platforms is discouraged on state highways.
None of the RCAs had any documented policies or procedures for the installation of pedestrian platforms but generally designed the platforms in accordance with local area traffic management (LATM) and standard urban design guidelines.
Traffic Note 2 was issued to highlight the concern that some pedestrian platforms were creating a false sense of priority for pedestrians. Only 51 (12%) of the 421 pedestrian platforms in the RCAs surveyed had been installed or modified since Traffic Note 2 was issued. An estimated 71% (299) of the 421 complied.
Field surveys undertaken at 163 pedestrian platform sites showed 22% (36) did not comply with Traffic Note 2. The non-complying sites had insufficient demarcation between the footpath and the platform. This lack of demarcation can create a false sense of security for pedestrians as they may not realise they are about to cross a roadway and be in conflict with traffic movements.
Despite the concern over the possible confusion about priorities there have been very few reported crashes involving pedestrians at pedestrian platforms. LTSA staff are aware of only three reported crashes nationally. None of these were in the RCAs involved in the survey.
Comments received from the RCAs and observations of traffic and pedestrian behaviour at pedestrian platforms showed there is still a need to clarify the issues regarding priorities. Guidelines on where to install pedestrian platforms with detailed design features are desirable to achieve national consistency. These guidelines should ensure legal priorities are clear to the users.
