We haven’t had a chance to use our inflatable pop-up zebra crossing since before lockdown, so when we heard from a primary school in Balham, London, who are desperately campaigning for a safe crossing, we leapt into action.
What is a pop-up zebra crossing?
When we were approached 10 years ago by a school whose request for a zebra crossing at a road traffic collision black spot outside their gates had been turned down on grounds of cost, we went about building one ourselves as cheaply as possible.
The result was a pop-up zebra crossing that could be erected in less than two minutes. And with no need to consider drainage, the excavation of existing pavement, disposal of material, new kerbing and paving, anti-skid surfacing, road markings, traffic signs, electrical connections and pillars, the total cost came to £50 – considerably less than the £114,000 quoted by the Highways Agency.
Faced with coverage of the campaign in the Sunday Times, Daily Mail, Evening Standard and Metro newspapers and on numerous radio stations, the local authority quickly installed the much-needed real zebra crossing.
If you are facing a similar challenge trying to get a zebra crossing, please get in touch.
The pop-up zebra crossing has been designed to be installed on any road in less than a minute. The idea may be tongue-in-cheek, but the issue is deadly serious; with over 2,000 children killed or seriously injured each year on our roads, parents should never have to battle to have a genuine crossing installed.
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