Pedestrian priority.
A re-think.
Total pedestrian priority, Grenchen, Switzerland.
See also study trip video
Time for a re-think
A new approach to creating pedestrian priority zones is needed. It could follow European practice.
Our studies of Swiss priority zones
The variety of Swiss pedestrian priority zones (Begegnungszonen) that were studied in April 2026 included a historic town centre, at Solothurn, a through traffic road which operated as a 60metre long pedestrian crossing at Grenchen and a multi-use town centre road junction at Biel.
In each case we studied, pedestrians used the full road space and obviously felt completely stress-free. Children, the elderly and those with disabilities, including the totally blind, were seen to be confident to use the road space in the knowledge that the rules on speed reduction and respect for pedestrians would be observed by all.
Len and Olivia have to use a pedestrian zone that includes service vehicles
How it could be done in the UK
With a little revision, the current UK Home Zone rules could be applied. The principal rules requiring drivers and cyclists to give way to pedestrians are already clearly stated in the Highway Code at paragraph 218: “You should drive slowly and carefully and be prepared to stop to allow people extra time to make space for you to pass them safely.”
Two adjustments to the Home Zones rules are needed
First, the zone should be applied more widely as appropriate, not just in residential areas. There are many locations, such as historic town centres, where pedestrians would benefit by having priority.
Secondly, traffic speed reduction is essential. In a Home Zone speed is reduced to some 10mph through various forms of traffic calming. In practice this tends to be either expensive landscape or remarkable unsightly road humps and over-signed road narrowing. It is therefore essential that an appropriate speed limit of 10mph is applied, fully understood and enforced. The Swiss examples studied all had a limit of 20kph, equivalent to 12.5mph.
The existing Home Zone sign could be adjusted
A clearly understood road sign is needed and a variation of the existing Home Zone sign is probably the most logical. Two adjustments are needed. The removal of the HOME ZONE designation and the addition of the 10mph speed limit roundel. This would provide clarity and be consistent with European practice. On a point of road safety, as we saw in Switzerland, autonomous vehicles recognise and respect speed limit signs.