MP "horrified" by footage of multiple drivers hitting cyclists and pedestrians at "Britain's most dangerous" zebra crossing

A Labour MP has described being "absolutely horrified" by multiple videos from a zebra crossing in his Bradford East constituency which show cyclists and pedestrians being hit by drivers.

 Imran Hussain said he was concerned about "accident blackspots" and is "absolutely horrified" having seen videos shared by Jeremy Vine on Twitter this week.

Two clips show cyclists using the crossing on Horton Grange Road being struck by motorists, another from 2018 shows a woman crossing on foot knocked to the ground by a driver.

Horton Grange Road, West Yorkshire. How does the driver fail to see him?
pic.twitter.com/bVuxIYbnVW

— Jeremy Vine (@theJeremyVine) November 17, 2022

The footage, which we shared earlier in the week on our live blog, prompted broadcaster Vine to ask: "what the hell is going on with this zebra [crossing]?"

What the HELL is going on with this zebra???pic.twitter.com/eJLNGrmaav

— Jeremy Vine (@theJeremyVine) November 17, 2022

 In response to the publicity stemming from the videos' thousands of views on social media and national newspaper coverage — including the Daily Mail asking if it is "Britain's most DANGEROUS zebra crossing?" — Bradford Council acknowledged the safety concerns and promised an immediate inspection on the site around a mile from the city centre.

Great Horton Road!! Bradford Lady was hit at pedestrian crossing pic.twitter.com/m8ogQiTgUF

— Tanveer Khatana (@tanveer_khatana) October 26, 2018

A spokesperson said the council will change the zebra crossing to a traffic light signalled crossing "as soon as we can" once funding is received. The authority also stressed that high-visibility LED units and more visible white road markings had been implemented four years ago.

The situation has, however, left MP Hussain "absolutely horrified" at the actions of "a minority of dangerous drivers".

"I'm absolutely horrified to see this catalogue of incidents where cars have hit pedestrians on what is a well-marked and visible zebra crossing on Horton Grange Road, and it is evidently clear that we need to see much tougher action against those who seemingly have no problem with violating the rules of the road," he said.

"For too long, a minority of dangerous drivers in Bradford have been blighting Bradford's roads and making the lives of the majority of responsible road users an absolute misery, and I've been pressing both Bradford council and West Yorkshire police to implement a number of road safety measures at accident blackspots in my constituency, while also pressing ministers to impose tougher sentences for dangerous drivers."

Zebra crossings

As per the Highway Code, "drivers and riders should give way to pedestrians waiting to cross and MUST give way to pedestrians on a zebra crossing".

Rule 19 states:

Give traffic plenty of time to see you and to stop before you start to cross. Vehicles will need more time when the road is slippery. Wait until traffic has stopped from both directions or the road is clear before crossing.

Remember that traffic does not have to stop until someone has moved onto the crossing. Drivers and riders should give way to pedestrians waiting to cross and MUST give way to pedestrians on a zebra crossing (see ​Rule H2). Keep looking both ways, and listening, in case a driver or rider has not seen you and attempts to overtake a vehicle that has stopped.

 Perhaps unsurprisingly much of the media coverage around the week's incidents has focused on the the footage 'dividing opinion' and tabloids asking 'who is in the right?'

YorkshireLive, part of Reach PLC which also publishes the Daily Express, Daily Star and Mirror, claimed Jeremy Vine "sparks row with footage of Bradford cyclist being hit by car on zebra crossing".

The Express also published a story headlined: "Jeremy Vine causes internet debate as cyclist on zebra crossing is hit by car", while the Mirror said the footage had "sparked furious debate".