Legal framework & traffic engineering
New side-road crossings
The new side-road crossing trials by Westminster City Council are a simplified form of zebra crossing or continued pavement. They are at places where there had already been a form of uncontrolled, informal or courtesy crossing, with dropped kerbs and tactile paving. In some cases, there was also a textured road surface to indicate that it was where people might cross.
Greater clarity for pedestrians and drivers
The new crossings are intended to help both drivers and pedestrians understand and apply the new rule H2 of the Highway Code that states that drivers should give way to pedestrians at road junctions.
In practice there is very little difference between rule H2 and those which apply to controlled Zebra crossings. In both, drivers should give way to pedestrians waiting to cross. The difference is regarding pedestrians already crossing. At road junctions under rule H2, drivers should give way. At controlled zebra crossings, drivers MUST give way.
Instructions for pedestrians
Instructions to pedestrians crossing at junctions and at controlled zebra crossings are the same: they should wait until traffic has stopped before they cross.