New campaign aims to make zebra crossings safer

The Guernsey Road Users Network wants to educate motorists, pedestrians and cyclists about zebra crossing safety

A new educational campaign is aiming to make zebra crossings in Guernsey safer for pedestrians, cyclists and drivers.

The Guernsey Road Users Network (GRUN) launched the campaign after it was concerned about the number of near misses on the Island's zebra crossings.

Jennifer Merrett, chair of the group, said she hoped the campaign would make people "more aware of the challenges" around zebra crossings and would reduce "injuries and near misses".

The group said all road users should be familiar with both the UK and Guernsey Highway Codes, with the Guernsey version taking precedence.

The campaign encourages drivers to stop before a zebra crossing and not on it.

Cyclists should dismount before using one and pedestrians should look before crossing.

Holly Linsday, from the campaign, said a lot of near misses were not reported, which led to people underestimating the problem.

She said: "The police have a lot of interesting examples of issues near crossings.

"One of them was a car going into the back of a cyclist, because the cyclist had stopped for a pedestrian."

Dave Hannah, a Douzenier from St Sampson, said some zebra crossings were "virtually invisible" at night.

He said two people had died in the past on the crossing by Victoria Avenue, on the seafront approaching St Sampson, and a pedestrian was struck on a nearby crossing in December.