Advice
Types of road crossings in the UK
There are five types of road crossings in the UK. In this guide, we go through how each of these work to keep us safe.
Words by: Nimisha Jain
Published on 7 October 2025 | 0 min read
The UK has five main types of road crossings: pelican, puffin, toucan, zebra, and pegasus. All of these, except for zebra crossing, are signal-controlled crossings which means they use traffic lights which signal when to and when not to cross the road.
Each crossing has different features and rules, but they all serve to make our roads safer. Let’s dig into what each of these crossings mean:
Each crossing has different features and rules, but they all serve to make our roads safer. Let’s dig into what each of these crossings mean:
1. Pelican crossing
Key features:
• Activated when you press the button • Turns green to indicate it’s safe to cross • Makes a beeping sound when it turns green Pelican crossing - which stands for ‘Pedestrian light controlled’ - can be used by pedestrians only. To activate a pelican crossing, you need to push the button at the traffic signal to stop the traffic. The traffic signal displays a human figure to indicate when to cross. When the figure is red, it means don’t cross while a green figure means it’s safe to cross. A flashing green means don’t start, but finish crossing if you’re already on the road. Most pelican crossings beep when the green signal appears to guide visually impaired pedestrians. Meanwhile, drivers see the traditional red, green and amber signs to signal when and when not to drive.
• Activated when you press the button • Turns green to indicate it’s safe to cross • Makes a beeping sound when it turns green Pelican crossing - which stands for ‘Pedestrian light controlled’ - can be used by pedestrians only. To activate a pelican crossing, you need to push the button at the traffic signal to stop the traffic. The traffic signal displays a human figure to indicate when to cross. When the figure is red, it means don’t cross while a green figure means it’s safe to cross. A flashing green means don’t start, but finish crossing if you’re already on the road. Most pelican crossings beep when the green signal appears to guide visually impaired pedestrians. Meanwhile, drivers see the traditional red, green and amber signs to signal when and when not to drive.
2. Puffin crossing
Key features:
• For pedestrians • Green figure doesn’t flash • Motion detectors used to control the traffic A puffin crossing is an updated version of a pelican crossing that uses motion detectors to help pedestrians cross the road. A puffin crossing has the green and red figures on top of a control box present on the same side as the pedestrians, whereas a pelican crossing has the traffic signal present across the road. Also, the green figure doesn’t flash with a puffin crossing. Instead, it uses motion detectors to adjust the crossing time on a real-time basis and control the traffic signals.
• For pedestrians • Green figure doesn’t flash • Motion detectors used to control the traffic A puffin crossing is an updated version of a pelican crossing that uses motion detectors to help pedestrians cross the road. A puffin crossing has the green and red figures on top of a control box present on the same side as the pedestrians, whereas a pelican crossing has the traffic signal present across the road. Also, the green figure doesn’t flash with a puffin crossing. Instead, it uses motion detectors to adjust the crossing time on a real-time basis and control the traffic signals.
3. Toucan crossing
Key features:
• For pedestrians and cyclists • Motion detectors used to control the traffic • Found near parks and cycle lanes A toucan crossing helps cyclists and pedestrians cross at the same time once the signal turns green. The traffic signal has a cycle symbol along with a human figure to indicate when it’s safe to cross. They usually use motion detectors to control the signals and keep the road users safe. You’ll often find these crossings near parks or cycle paths, where there’s a greater number of cyclists around.
• For pedestrians and cyclists • Motion detectors used to control the traffic • Found near parks and cycle lanes A toucan crossing helps cyclists and pedestrians cross at the same time once the signal turns green. The traffic signal has a cycle symbol along with a human figure to indicate when it’s safe to cross. They usually use motion detectors to control the signals and keep the road users safe. You’ll often find these crossings near parks or cycle paths, where there’s a greater number of cyclists around.
4. Pegasus crossing
Key features:
• For horse riders and horse-drawn carriages • Much wider compared to the other crossings • Light panel is placed higher from the ground A pegasus crossing, also known as an equestrian crossing, is a signal-controlled crossing for horse riders and horse-drawn carriages. These crossings are much wider so that the horses can cross with ease and they have pavement barriers to keep the horses on the right track and separate them from the traffic. The light panels in these crossings feature a horse and rider that turns red or green instead of a human figure. It’s mandatory to have the light panel placed higher from the ground. Some crossings feature two controls - one at a normal height and one at a higher height. Drivers should avoid revving engines or making sudden movements that could avoid startle the horses.
• For horse riders and horse-drawn carriages • Much wider compared to the other crossings • Light panel is placed higher from the ground A pegasus crossing, also known as an equestrian crossing, is a signal-controlled crossing for horse riders and horse-drawn carriages. These crossings are much wider so that the horses can cross with ease and they have pavement barriers to keep the horses on the right track and separate them from the traffic. The light panels in these crossings feature a horse and rider that turns red or green instead of a human figure. It’s mandatory to have the light panel placed higher from the ground. Some crossings feature two controls - one at a normal height and one at a higher height. Drivers should avoid revving engines or making sudden movements that could avoid startle the horses.
5. Zebra crossing
Key features:
• For pedestrians • Uses black and white stripes • Pedestrians must wait for drivers to give way to cross the road Zebra crossings use broad black-and-white stripes to mark where pedestrians can cross. They usually have amber beacons on both ends of the crossings. Unlike the rest of the crossings, a zebra crossing doesn’t have any traffic lights. Vehicles must stop whenever there’s a pedestrian waiting to cross the road. As a pedestrian, you should make sure that the cars have stopped completely before you start crossing. While crossing, make sure you look and listen both ways in case a driver hasn’t seen you and attempts to overtake. Now that you know what each of these crossings mean, explore everything you need to know as a new driver.
• For pedestrians • Uses black and white stripes • Pedestrians must wait for drivers to give way to cross the road Zebra crossings use broad black-and-white stripes to mark where pedestrians can cross. They usually have amber beacons on both ends of the crossings. Unlike the rest of the crossings, a zebra crossing doesn’t have any traffic lights. Vehicles must stop whenever there’s a pedestrian waiting to cross the road. As a pedestrian, you should make sure that the cars have stopped completely before you start crossing. While crossing, make sure you look and listen both ways in case a driver hasn’t seen you and attempts to overtake. Now that you know what each of these crossings mean, explore everything you need to know as a new driver.