Puffin crossings - what's a puffin crossing?

What's the difference between a puffin and a pelican crossing? What's a puffin crossing? A puffin crossing is a new style pedestrian crossing that looks very much like a pelican, but has a few additional safety features.

Puffin crossings are operated by a demand button (just like pelicans) but instead of seeing the red or green man displayed on the opposite side of the road, the display appears on the demand box next to you on the pavement.

When the green man appears on the box next to you, it's time to cross. Puffin crossings have a built-in detector system which 'sees' that you are waiting to cross. If you are a mum with a buggy and another small child on tow and need a little bit longer to cross, the detector knows this and holds the traffic lights at red until you reach the other side safely. This means that drivers are stopped for a shorter time if a pedestrian crosses quite quickly, and that slower pedestrians are given more time to cross.

Puffin crossings don't have the flashing amber light/flashing green man phase which pelicans have. This removes that uncertain moment for drivers and pedestrians, when neither is quite sure who has priority.

Don't be put off by the fact that you can't see the green man ahead of you as you cross. The puffin has its eye on you and will give you time to reach the other pavement safely.

Several puffin crossings are now in operation throughout Lambeth. The new crossings recently introduced on the Wandsworth Road are all of this type.