A pelican crossing is a type of pedestrian crossing with traffic signals controlled by pedestrians pressing a button to stop vehicular traffic. It is mainly used in the UK, Ireland, and some other countries. When a pedestrian presses the button, the traffic lights turn red, allowing the pedestrian to cross safely, shown by a green man signal on the opposite side. Notably, the pelican crossing has a unique flashing amber light phase where drivers can proceed if no pedestrians remain crossing. Pelican crossings typically have two poles with traffic lights and buttons on either side of the road, along with audible signals to aid visually impaired pedestrians. They were first introduced in the UK in 1969 and are distinct from puffin, toucan, and zebra crossings mainly by their traffic light phases and button-activated control. Legally, if a pelican crossing goes straight across the road—even with a central island—traffic must wait until all pedestrians finish crossing, unlike staggered crossings where each part is treated separately.
In summary:
- Pedestrians press a button to activate traffic lights.
- Traffic stops for pedestrians, shown by a green man light.
- The green man flashes to indicate pedestrians should not start crossing but may finish crossing.
- Drivers see a flashing amber light allowing them to proceed only if the crossing is clear.
- The crossing is marked by poles with lights and call buttons.
- The pelican crossing is being phased out in some places, replaced by puffin crossings.
- It is different from zebra crossings, where pedestrians have priority without traffic lights.
