To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will amend the Zebra, Pelican and Puffin Pedestrian Crossings Regulations and General Directions 1997 to allow for the part-time operation of flashing beacons. [98588]

Zebra crossings operate 24 hours a day and part-time operation of beacons could be taken to imply that this was not the case. It would also remove an important safety element that warns drivers that they are approaching a zebra crossing. There is, therefore, a real danger that adopting this proposal would increase accidents at pedestrian crossings at times when the flashing beacons are turned off. In view of this, we have no plans to make this amendment to the regulations.