Pelican crossings with bicycle symbol
- Thread starter united4ever
- Start date
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glasgowcyclist
Charming but somewhat feckless
- Location
- Scotland
A pelican crossing that accommodates bicycles is a Toucan crossing, which is not what is shown in your picture. That shows a pedestrian light controlled crossing with an adjacent light controlled cycle route.
The Highway Code wording shows that compliance with the cycle red light in your picture is mandatory. See second paragraph below.
Cycle tracks on opposite sides of the road may be linked by cycle-only signalled crossings. You may ride across but you MUST NOT cross until the green cycle symbol is showing.
The Highway Code wording shows that compliance with the cycle red light in your picture is mandatory. See second paragraph below.
Rule 82
Crossings. Toucan crossings are light-controlled crossings which allow cyclists and pedestrians to share crossing space and cross at the same time. They are push-button operated. Pedestrians and cyclists will see the green signal together. Cyclists are permitted to ride across.Cycle tracks on opposite sides of the road may be linked by cycle-only signalled crossings. You may ride across but you MUST NOT cross until the green cycle symbol is showing.
mjr
Comfy armchair to one person & a plank to the next
- Location
- mostly Norfolk, sometimes Somerset
Sadly yes, disobeying the red bike light on such a parallel signalised crossing currently carries a fine for red light jumping (section 36 of RTA 1988), unlike the red bike+man on a toucan crossing, which you can treat as a " give way ".
Bizarrely, it is often legal to ride across the pedestrian part of such crossings if the approaches are unsegregated shared cycle/foot areas (it looks like they're not in the photo), but it depends on the exact layout and pedestrians still have priority so don't do it if busy. I'd also look for police because an argument will slow you down even if they can only warn you.
Finally, the sensors on bike crossings often seem to be broken, but ignoring the red light even then is legally grey. You can often turn left without passing a light then make a U turn and turn left to continue, but of course that only works if the road on the left is quiet.
Bizarrely, it is often legal to ride across the pedestrian part of such crossings if the approaches are unsegregated shared cycle/foot areas (it looks like they're not in the photo), but it depends on the exact layout and pedestrians still have priority so don't do it if busy. I'd also look for police because an argument will slow you down even if they can only warn you.
Finally, the sensors on bike crossings often seem to be broken, but ignoring the red light even then is legally grey. You can often turn left without passing a light then make a U turn and turn left to continue, but of course that only works if the road on the left is quiet.
Last edited:
Seevio
Guru
- Location
- South Glos
You could also get off and wheel the bike across.
mjr
Comfy armchair to one person & a plank to the next
- Location
- mostly Norfolk, sometimes Somerset
Wheeling the bike over the cycle crossing would still be an offence. You would have to push across the foot crossing. It's also not great for those who can't push their bike easily.
united4ever
Über Member
Thanks, good to know.
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