232Crossing a road at traffic lights

232 Crossing a road at traffic lights

(1) A pedestrian approaching or at an intersection, or another place on a road, with traffic lights, but without pedestrian lights, must comply with this rule.

Intersection, pedestrian lights and traffic lights are defined in the dictionary.

(2) If the traffic lights show a red or yellow traffic light and the pedestrian has not already started crossing the intersection or road, the pedestrian must not start to cross until the traffic lights change to green or flashing yellow, or there is no red traffic light showing.

Green traffic light, red traffic light and yellow traffic light are defined in the dictionary.

(3) If, while the pedestrian is crossing the road, the traffic lights change to yellow or red, the pedestrian must not stay on the road for longer than necessary to cross safely to the nearer
(in the direction of travel of the pedestrian) of the following—

(a) a dividing strip, safety zone, or traffic island, forming part of the area set aside or used by pedestrians to cross the road at the intersection or place (the safety area);

Dividing strip and traffic island are defined in the dictionary, and safety zone is defined in rule 162.

(3A) Despite subrule (3), in the circumstances set out in that subrule the pedestrian may instead return to the side of the road, or to the safety area, that the pedestrian has just left, but only if—

(a) at the time the lights change, that side or safety area is closer to the pedestrian than the side or safety area (whichever is the closer) that the pedestrian was heading for at that time; and

(b) the pedestrian does not stay on the road for longer than is necessary to return to that side or safety area.

(4) If, under subrule (3), the pedestrian crosses to the safety area, the pedestrian must remain in the safety area until the traffic lights change to green or flashing yellow, or there is no red traffic light showing.