As part of a Highway Code review in perhaps one of the most long-awaited developments, a new hierarchy of priority has been announced by the Department for Transport.
Could this benefit some of the traffic problems in Whitchurch?
The hierarchy places pedestrians at the top and the heaviest and potentially most lethal road users at the bottom.
To see such a principle introduced could see major benefits for those who travel around Whitchurch which suffers from narrow pavements, poor crossings, speeding traffic, HGVs and a lack of cycle facilities.
The hierarchy being planned is:
- Pedestrians
- Cyclists
- Horse riders
- Motorcyclists
- Cars/taxis
- Vans/minibusses
- Large passenger vehicles/heavy goods vehicles
Cycling UK has produced a YouTube video to explain the hierarchy.
LINK: How to make junctions safer for everyone | Cycling UK
With reference to cycling, a DfT statement said
“car drivers will be responsible for ensuring cyclists are safe, while cyclists will be responsible for looking out for pedestrians ”,
adding that the hierarchy
“does not remove the need for all road users to behave responsibly.”