Read the text of this document (6 pages)
Executive Decision Report
Cabinet Member
Wednesday, 08 July 2026
Classification: Part 1 Public Page 1
Harlington Road, Hilli ngdon – Petition Requesting a Zebra
Crossing
Cabinet Member Lead
Cabinet Member for Residents Services (Cllr Bridges)
Chief Officer responsible
Corporate Director of Residents Services
Report author Steven Austin
Report classification and reason
Public
For General Release
Relevant Committee
Residents' Services
Electoral Ward Colham & Cowley
1. Executive Summary
This report considers a petition from 28 residents of Harlington Road and Temple Court
requesting the installation of a zebra crossing to improve pedestrian safety. Petitioners highlight
increasing traffic volumes and speeds on this key distributor route, which serves bus services and
goods vehicles, making it difficult for vulnerable users – including children, elderly residents, and
wheelchair users – to cross safely. While there have been only four recorded slight collisions in
the past three years, residents report frequent near misses and ongoing safety concerns.
The Cabinet Member is asked to meet with the petitioners to better understand these concerns
and, subject to that discussion, to commission a detailed feasibility assessment. This would
examine whether a zebra crossi ng or alternative measures – such as refuge islands, speed
tables, or other interventions – could be accommodated, taking into account site constraints
including road width, visibility, existing crossings, and nearby infrastructure.
The report notes that previous consideration ruled out a zebra crossing at this location due to
design limitations, and any new proposal may have implications such as reduced parking,
increased noise, or local opposition. Overall, the recommendation provides an opportunity for
engagement while ensuring that any future decision is evidence -based, technically viable, and
aligned with the Council’s commitment to safe and strong communities.
2. Recommendations
That the Cabinet Member for Residents Services:
1. Meets with petitioners and listens to their request for a Zebra Crossing on Harlington
Road, Hillingdon; and
Executive Decision Report
Cabinet Member
Wednesday, 08 July 2026
Classification: Part 1 Public Page 2
2. Subject to the outcome of the above, asks officers to undertake a further detailed
investigation on a possible Zebra Crossing or other appropriate measures on
Harlington Road.
3. Reasons for decision
The Petition Hearing will provide a valuable opportunity to hear directly from the petitioners of
their concerns and suggestions.
4. Proposal
1. A petition with 28 signatures has been submitted to the Council signed by some residents of
Harlington Road and Temple Park signed under the following heading:
“We, the residents of Harlington Road and Temple Court, respectfully request that the London
Borough of Hillingdon install a zebra crossing on Harlington Road.
This section of the road is used daily by school children, elderly residents, wheelchair users ,
and families. Due to increasing traffic volume and vehicle speed, it has become progressively
more difficult and unsafe for vulnerable pedestrians to cross safely. T here have been
numerous near -miss incidents and the current road layout does not provide adequate
protection for those who rely on this route for school, medical appointments , shopping and
community activities.
A zebra crossing would provide a vital safety measure, reduce the risk of accidents and ensure
that all members of our community – particular children and those with mobility challenges –
can cross the road with confidence.
We therefore urge the Council to prioritise this request and take prompt action to improve
pedestrian safety on Harlington Road.”
2. Harlington Road (A437) is a major route that links Hillingdon and Uxbridge in the north to
Hayes and beyond in the south. The road is classified as a main borough distributor road and
forms part of the A10 bus route . The location of Harlington Road is indicated on the plan
attached as Appendix A of this report.
3. There are two existing controlled crossing points on the section of Harlington Road petitioners
are concerned wit h. The first is a two-stage signal-controlled crossing at the junction with
Uxbridge Road and a Zebra Crossing to the south of Nicholls Avenue which was installed in
2011 following an approach from residents and the nearby Hillingdon Primary School.
4. As previously mentioned, Harlington Road is classified as a main borough distributor road, so
as a result, will be a prescribed route for goods vehicles and in this case, also a bus route. At
the point where petitioners are requesting a Zebra Crossing, the width of the carriageway is
approximately 6.2 metres wide, bounded on both sides with a footway width of approximately
1.5m on the east side of the road and 1.8m opposite.
Executive Decision Report
Cabinet Member
Wednesday, 08 July 2026
Classification: Part 1 Public Page 3
5. Analysis of the most recently avai lable police recorded collision data for this section of
Harlington Road for the last three years , indicate that that there have been four recorded
incidents, all classified as ‘slight’ in severity ’. However, this data may not include any recent
collisions or crashes that the emergency services did not attend so do not form part of the
Police database records.
6. As the Cabinet Member will be aware, the feasibility of installing a pedestrian crossing
depends on a number of design requirements including visibility distances, the lay -out of
junctions, existing driveways, existing parking restrictions and the provision of a safe area for
pedestrians waiting to cross the road.
7. It is perhaps due to the above considerations, a previous Cabinet Member ruled out the
possibility of the installation of a Zebra Crossing at the suggested location. However, perhaps
it may be helpful to provide a quick overview for the most used types of crossings and
pedestrian safety measures which are shown in the list belo w, with key points for each type.
It should be carefully noted that all of these crossings require adequate space, free of
encumbrances such as vehicle cross overs, with sufficient roadway and footway width and
clear sightlines. It is by no means certain at this juncture that any of them could easily be
accommodated in Harlington Road, but clearly the first step is to establish the need, and then
investigate what may be feasible:
Pedestrian Refuge Islands:
These are a relatively inexpensive method of improving crossing facilities for pedestrians, and
of a type known as ‘informal crossings’ as there are no controls.
When provided for children and wheelchair users as mentioned in the petition, the refuge
island needs to be of sufficient width to accommodate possible large numbers of children and
parents, some of which may have prams or pushchairs and motorised mobility aids.
The introduction of a refuge island inevitable reduces any adjacent kerb-side parking capacity
if there is any.
Raised Speed Tables:
In many cases where a refuge island is not practicable, typically because the road is too
narrow or there is insufficient room that is free of driveways, trees and street furniture, then it
is possible to contemplate a raised platform known as a ‘speed table’ which is designed to
slow traffic and at the same time can provide a safer informal crossing point.
The disadvantage of such measures is that there is frequently an unwelcome but almost
inevitable unintended conseq uence of an increase in vehicle -generated noise especially
caused by heavy goods vehicles which is the case in Harlington Road. For this reason, such
a measure might not be welcomed by residents living in close proximity.
Before a local authority can con sider installing such a measure, a public consultation would
be required.
Executive Decision Report
Cabinet Member
Wednesday, 08 July 2026
Classification: Part 1 Public Page 4
Zebra Crossings:
Zebra Crossings give priority to pedestrians and vehicles should stop safely to allow
pedestrians to cross.
Pedestrians have less waiting time to cross the road compared to other crossing options.
Zebra Crossings are more conspicuous than informal crossing points and provide a greater
feeling of safety.
Whilst their purpose and function is clear in the Highway Code, and they are enshrined within
national legislation, Zebra Crossings are not always respected by some drivers who may fail
to stop.
Significantly more costly and take longer to implement as there is a longer process for the
Council to follow. They rely upon the installation of electrical equipment and associated power
supplies.
Can increase local congestion where pedestrian volumes are high particular when located
close to a school and other crossing facilities.
Can have a negative impact on adjacent residents.
Before a local authority can consider installing such a measure, a public consultation would
be required.
Traffic Signal Controlled Crossings (Puffin Crossings):
These rely upon a system of traffic signal control and are more common at busier junctions
on main roads (as at the junction of Uxbridge Road and Harlington Road) and in cases where
traffic speeds are much higher as a rule.
All traffic signals in Greater London are owned, operated and maintained by Transport for
London (TfL) rather than the Council, and as a result TfL will only consider such an installation
if it meets their criteria (unlikely in this case)
Signal controlled installations are inevitably the most expensive form of pedestrian controls.
20MPH Zone
Although a 20mph zone is not in itself a crossing point, there is an argument to be made that
a worthwhile reduction in speed near a school can provide obvious safety benefits in terms of
child pedestrian safety. In Hillingdon, the Council will u sually only consider this option wh en
the school entrance/entrances are located on the associated road . The challenge, however,
is frequently to develop a scheme which is not solely reliant upon the enforcement of the police
and the goodwill of the drivers using the road.
Executive Decision Report
Cabinet Member
Wednesday, 08 July 2026
Classification: Part 1 Public Page 5
Speed tables may often be considered a s part of a 20mph Zone, but at the same problems
already noted above need to be borne in mind.
8. As can be seen, if the Cabinet Member is minded to ask officers to investigate the possibility
of any form of crossing facility, then the above and other technical factors must be considered.
It is also probable that the introduction of measures of the kind described above may be
unpopular with some of the adjacent residents who would be directly impacted by their
introduction. The views of all the ward councillors may be especially important in this regard.
5. Corporate implications
Financial (mandatory) Y Equalities impact assessment
Legal (mandatory) Y Workforce
Alternative options (mandatory) Y Public Health
Risk management (mandatory) Y External partners
Asset Communications
Procurement Committee comments
Planning Digital
Climate Change Other
a) Financial
There are no costs associated with the recommendations in this report.
b) Legal
Legal Services confirm that t here are no specific legal implications to following the
recommendations within this report in relation to the petition received for a zebra crossing on
Harlington Road, Hillingdon. Section 23 of t he Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 provides the
Council with the power to establish crossings for pe destrians on roads for which they are the
traffic authority after following due consultation and order-making processes.
A meeting with the petitioners is in line with the Council’s constitution and is a perfectly legitimate
part of a listening exercise, especially where consideration of the policy, factual and engineering
issues are still at a formative stage. Public law principles provide that there must be no
predetermination of a decision in advance of completion of any wider planned consultation.
Therefore, decision makers must ensure there is a full consideration of all representations arising,
including those which do not accord with their own.
Should there be a decision that the zebra crossing proposal is to be considered further, then the
relevant statutory provisions and processes for this will have to be considered and followed. To
this end, more specific legal comments will be provided in subsequent reports as the proposal
progresses.
c) Alternative options
Executive Decision Report
Cabinet Member
Wednesday, 08 July 2026
Classification: Part 1 Public Page 6
Alternative Options Rationale for rejecting option
There are no alternative
options.
N/A
d) Risk management
Risk Mitigation
The is no risk to hearing the
testimony of petitioners.
N/A
e) Other implications
NIL.
6. Consultation & engagement
The petition hearing will provide a valuable opportunity to hear directly from the petitioners of their
concerns and suggestions.
7. Timetable for implementation
The petition hearing is scheduled to take place on 08 July 2026.
List of appendices attached
Appendix A – Location Plan
List of Background Papers
Petition
Text extracted automatically from the PDF, so layout, tables and images are not shown. Open the original PDF on LB Hillingdon’s website.