Pedestrian Scrambles
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12 months ago Oxford Circus in London was redesigned with an 'X-shaped' pedestrian crossing, also known internationally as a 'pedestrian scramble'. Westminster Council has reported that the crossing, which provides 70% more space for pedestrians to cross has now been used by more than 90 million people, an average of more than 250,000 people per day.
A representative of the Crown Estate is reported to have said that "London hasn't seen a more significant improvement to its public realm than the Oxford Circus directional crossing in the last quarter of a century" whilst annual retail sales in the vicinity of the crossing have reportedly risen by 7%. Other crossings in London are now being constructed and planned at locations where pedestrians can cross on a diagonal desire line.
London is not the only city using the pedestrian scramble to improve crossing conditions for pedestrians and reduce pedestrian congestion. The pedestrian scramble was first used in Canada and the USA in the late 1940s but fell out of favour as importance shifted to maximising vehicle priority. In recent years its popularity is seeing a resurgence.
- Beverly Hills modified a number of crossings within its business triangle to pedestrian scrambles in 1987. Data for 9 years before and after the upgrade so six of the crossings was analysed by the city engineering department, revealing a 66% reduction in pedestrian/vehicle collisions.
- Toronto now has 3 scrambles, the first was installed at the intersection of Yonge and Dundas used by over 62,000 people per day, the second at Yonge and Bloor and the most recent at Bay and Bloor;
- Denver has pedestrian scrambles at most intersections in the downtown business district;
- Washington DC has been testing the concept at the intersection of 7th and 'H' in chinatown, catering for 27,000 pedestrians and 26,000 vehicles per day. This junction had been the site of 35 collisions, 9 resulting in injury during 2009, and the scheme also included restricting vehicle turning movements and associated 'vehicle' time within the signals cycle; and,
- There are over 300 pedestrian scrambles in Japan and inspiration for the crossing at Oxford Circus is said to have been a crossing in front of Shibuya Station, Tokyo.
The main feature of the pedestrian scramble is that all vehicles are stopped at the same time, known as an 'all green stage' for pedestrians. This is actually a common feature of many smaller signalised junctions in the UK and Ireland. The length of time given to the 'all green stage' is increased to take account of the longer diagonal crossing distance, with a proportionate decrease in the time given to vehicles.
Pedestrian scrambles are particularly appropriate where there is a natural desire line between two corners of an junction, and in situations where, by providing the scramble, pedestrians only need to cross once rather than twice. In situations such as Oxford Circus where pedestrian flows are significant, pedestrians time savings also generate large economic benefits.
TTRSA undertake a range of pedestrian surveys, including video based surveys which are particularly suited to identifying pedestrian movements and desire lines. We also have extensive experience in developing pedestrian and walking strategies, undertaking accessibility audits and studies, and improving pedestrian facilities.
4 November 2010
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