Safe pedestrian route

For the purposes of the Home Quality Mark, safe pedestrian routes are pedestrian routes on a development site which are within the control of a developer, that are deemed to be safe and accessible for pedestrian users (including people with disabilities, the elderly and children).

Safe pedestrian routes take into account the physical limitations of those who may use them, for example providing steps appropriately supported by sloped access and dropped curbs positioned at crossing points. These routes and associated spaces are appropriately sized, with good visibility of the route ahead.

They should also meet the following requirements:

• Where required, lighting design must be in accordance with BS 5489-1:2013 Lighting of roads and public amenity areas (rural areas are exempt from this requirement).
• At crossing points there must be appropriate pedestrian crossings (such as zebra or pelican crossings) in place or a clear line of sight for at least 50m in each direction on roads with a 30mph speed limit or 100m in each direction on roads with a speed limit of greater than 30mph.
• On roads with a speed limit of 30mph (or higher) there is a clearly defined footpath.
• All footpaths provided should be at least 900mm wide. In rural areas, on single track roads, a grass verge is acceptable in place of a footpath.
• In clearly defined home zones, it is acceptable for the pedestrian routes to use the road.
• They follow nationally-recognised design guidance, such as BS 8300-2:2018..

Pedestrian routes that are outside of a development site, and therefore not within the control of the developer, do not need to meet the above requirements. However, it must be demonstrated that there is a pedestrian route, which is not shared with vehicular traffic, from the site boundary to the transport node (for example, via pavements, footpaths, pedestrian crossings). The route shall be signposted.

Ref Home Quality Mark One, Technical Manual SD239, England, Scotland & Wales, published by BRE in 2018.

--BRE Group

[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings

• Accessible.
• Access consultant.
• Accessibility in the built environment.
• Approved document M.
• BRE articles.
• BREEAM.
• Changing lifestyles in the built environment.
• Close proximity.
• Compliant public transport node.
• Dedicated and safe footpaths.
• Dedicated pedestrian crossing.
• Designing for pedestrians.
• Healthy Streets.
• Highway Code changes in 2022.
• Home Quality Mark.
• Lifetime homes.
• Pedestrianised.
• Pedestrian shed.
• People with disabilities.
• Ramp.
• Step free.
• Types of road and street.
• Walking distance.
• Walkway.