What’s next for the zebra crossing as it turns 75 years old?

It has been 75 years since the first zebra crossing was introduced in the UK. Living Streets - then known as the Pedestrians’ Association - campaigned for the first-ever zebra crossings, with the first one installed in Slough on 31 October 1951 in a huge step forward for pedestrian safety. 

To coincide with the anniversary, the charity is publishing a new report that highlights the experiences of families on the school run, including how safe they feel. In the report, Mat MacDonald, the Road Safety Commissioner for the West Midlands, calls for increased road safety. 

In his foreword for The view from the school run, he says, ‘our streets should be safe spaces for children to socialise, play and travel’ and cites the ‘average of nearly seven children killed or seriously injured in traffic collisions across Great Britain every single day’.

Zebra crossings improve safety by making drivers more observant of pedestrians and help to reduce traffic speed. However, Living Streets’ survey showed that a third (32%) of parents are concerned by a lack of safe crossings on the journey to school. 

More recently, Living Streets has campaigned for the introduction of simple side road zebras to make walking and wheeling a safer option for everyone. The crossings, which are in widespread use across the UK in supermarket car parks and airports and authorised for use on protected cycle tracks, are cheaper to install than traditional zebra crossings. The UK Government committed in its most recent Cycling and Walking Investment strategy to implement 10,000 ‘simple zebras’ across England.  

The charity has released a short celebration film on its social media, featuring people wishing the zebra crossing a happy birthday. National Active Travel Commissioner, Chris Boardman appears in the film. 

National Active Travel Commissioner, Chris Boardman, said:

“The enduring success of zebra crossings shows how simple changes can transform people’s everyday journeys. Thanks in no small part to Living Streets’ campaigning, we now have the opportunity to build on that legacy. Simpler zebra crossings will make it easier and more affordable to provide safe places to cross, helping children to travel independently and giving families greater confidence on their journeys to school, the shops and beyond.

“Active Travel England will work with councils to make the most of this opportunity, creating safer, better-connected streets for everyone.”

Catherine Woodhead, Chief Executive, Living Streets said: 

“We are incredibly proud to be the charity behind the first zebra crossings, which have been helping to keep us all safe for 75 years. These simple markings remind everyone that people walking have priority. We’re looking forward to more of them coming to our streets, helping to address some of the concerns parents and carers have raised in our latest report.”

Read ‘The view from the school run’ and join Living Streets as the charity strides towards its next big anniversary. Visit livingstreets.org.uk/schoolrun