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Original poster

Pedestrian crossing outside house

44 replies

Owlsandeagles · 15/12/2025 19:50

I’m so so upset tonight.
We live on a main road that is having raised cycle lanes put in. Construction has already started so it’s a done deal.

The plans have been altered slightly from when the council put them out for consultation and I’m now going to have a pedestrian crossing right outside my house.
I’m gutted. We live a good distance from traffic lights and bought for that reason, I didn’t want to live by lights and have a beep beep going all the time and listen to stop start traffic every time a pedestrian or cyclist wants to cross the road.

That’s now going to change and this is being forced on us.

I don’t know what to do. I’m so so sad. We have spare monthly income to move (around £2k a month spare after everything), although my husband doesn’t want to increase our mortgage.
Even if we did put the house on the market who’s going to want to buy it with pedestrian lights outside.

Help me feel better!

OP posts:
itsthetea · 15/12/2025 19:55

You live on a busy road and think the pedestrian crossing will be a problem ?!? Not the deadly traffic fumes and the constant noise of traffic and danger to life crossing the road ?

think you are overreacting

snugasabug75 · 15/12/2025 19:56

How busy is your road with cyclists and pedestrians?

MrsMoastyToasty · 15/12/2025 20:03

My friend lives near a pedestrian crossing on the main road heading into town. TBH you don't hear it after a while, even as a visitor (however I'm probably not the best person to ask. I grew up with Concorde taking off from the runway at the end of our road!)

Seawolves · 15/12/2025 20:05

Is it a crossing that beeps? Many don't have audible sounds these days

BrightLightTonight · 15/12/2025 20:06

I understand where you are coming from. Free flowing traffic is just a hum in the background, stationary traffic, with engines running is louder and stressful.

Personally, I would look at selling now - sorry

Haroldwilson · 15/12/2025 20:06

We got an en suite put in with a macerator that made me cry, it was so noisy every time you flushed or ran the tap. I literally don't hear it now. You'll tune it out.

Bonus: you can cross the road easier and ride a bike more safely! The average speed on your road will probably decrease, reducing traffic noise.

Original poster
Owlsandeagles · 15/12/2025 20:11

snugasabug75 · 15/12/2025 19:56

How busy is your road with cyclists and pedestrians?

Not very right now, we live at the edge of the village with a few houses after us so not really much footfall at all.
Not very many bikes use the road now, but council are expecting around 1000 a day to use the new cycle lanes…

OP posts:
Original poster
Owlsandeagles · 15/12/2025 20:12

itsthetea · 15/12/2025 19:55

You live on a busy road and think the pedestrian crossing will be a problem ?!? Not the deadly traffic fumes and the constant noise of traffic and danger to life crossing the road ?

think you are overreacting

Pollution will be even worse with idling traffic outside my door. As will the noise.
We have a very big garden with woods at the back of our house, this was our compromise.

OP posts:
Original poster
Owlsandeagles · 15/12/2025 20:14

BrightLightTonight · 15/12/2025 20:06

I understand where you are coming from. Free flowing traffic is just a hum in the background, stationary traffic, with engines running is louder and stressful.

Personally, I would look at selling now - sorry

Yes this is just it, free flowing we don’t really notice, but stop start literally at the end of our drive.
problem is house isn’t really up together to sell. It’s going to take a few years to get it to that stage ☹️

OP posts:
Original poster
Owlsandeagles · 15/12/2025 20:15

Seawolves · 15/12/2025 20:05

Is it a crossing that beeps? Many don't have audible sounds these days

Yes it’s a beeper! 😩

OP posts:
Prelim · 15/12/2025 20:16

I’ve not heard audible sounds on crossing for years. I don’t think they do them anymore. I would personally welcome a safe place for my children to cross right outside the front door. Would parking be an issue? I’m imagining you have no front garden so has to park on the street? Otherwise if you have a front garden and a big back garden, how much time would you spend sitting outside the house breathing in the fumes?

Original poster
Owlsandeagles · 15/12/2025 20:23

Owlsandeagles · 15/12/2025 20:11

Not very right now, we live at the edge of the village with a few houses after us so not really much footfall at all.
Not very many bikes use the road now, but council are expecting around 1000 a day to use the new cycle lanes…

Show quote history

Although I say 1000, currently there’s probably about 20…. They’re very rare!

OP posts:
Original poster
Owlsandeagles · 15/12/2025 20:25

Prelim · 15/12/2025 20:16

I’ve not heard audible sounds on crossing for years. I don’t think they do them anymore. I would personally welcome a safe place for my children to cross right outside the front door. Would parking be an issue? I’m imagining you have no front garden so has to park on the street? Otherwise if you have a front garden and a big back garden, how much time would you spend sitting outside the house breathing in the fumes?

No we have a front garden and drive for around 3/4 cars. So no parking issues at all.

OP posts:
Tulipvase · 15/12/2025 20:25

I think 1000 must be a mistake. But yes, it would annoy me too.

SixthWorstOption · 15/12/2025 20:30

I presume there was a planning application for the changes - did the council make you aware so that you could review the plans and object?

PersilPower · 15/12/2025 20:35

1000 bikes a day?? Do you live on some kind of mega Tour de France route?! That can’t be right surely 😂

Branster · 15/12/2025 20:35

How annoying! Near a main road is bad enough, even if it is not very busy.
The beeps from traffic lights are actually very loud and disrupting, not exactly something you'd tune out. Depending where your windows are, there might be a degree of light pollution as well.
I'd honestly move.

Original poster
Owlsandeagles · 15/12/2025 20:41

PersilPower · 15/12/2025 20:35

1000 bikes a day?? Do you live on some kind of mega Tour de France route?! That can’t be right surely 😂

😂😂 that’s what the council said when they were asked at the consultation.
You’d think it wasn’t right!! There’s literally hardly any right now, especially in this weather!

OP posts:
Original poster
Owlsandeagles · 15/12/2025 20:42

@SixthWorstOptionyes everyone objected but they went ahead anyway. Typical council really….

OP posts:
Original poster
Owlsandeagles · 15/12/2025 20:44

@Bransterlight pollution is ok. We have wooden shutters with blackout blinds behind so it’s very dark!

Yes there are some at the junction way up the road that are very loud, this is my concern along with idling traffic outside my front door! ☹️☹️

OP posts:
PersilPower · 15/12/2025 20:45

Owlsandeagles · 15/12/2025 20:41

😂😂 that’s what the council said when they were asked at the consultation.
You’d think it wasn’t right!! There’s literally hardly any right now, especially in this weather!

Show quote history

How annoying for you. Almost like they’ve made up random numbers of cyclists to justify this crossing. But that number is so extreme it’s laughable. Unless you live in central Amsterdam?

LovesLabradors · 15/12/2025 20:51

All I can tell you is that you'll get used to it.
I lived in a flat by a major road junction in my 20s - and initially the sound of the cars revving when the lights turned green sounded like I was living in the middle of Brands Hatch - but after a while I just didn't notice it.
Concentrate on your lovely back garden/woods and if it's really awful start researching sound proofing.

Original poster
Owlsandeagles · 15/12/2025 20:56

@PersilPoweryes that’s what a lot of people have said, they’ve said such a high figure to get the cycle lanes and crossing approved.
When reality is nowhere near that number. There’s actually nothing stated anywhere on their website about actual numbers of cyclists now… oddly enough Hmm

OP posts:
Overthebow · 15/12/2025 20:56

How close are you to the road and crossing? If you’ve got a big driveway then you may not be that close? I think it would be annoying if your house was right by the road but if set back with a driveway in front you may not notice it as much.

Coconutter24 · 15/12/2025 21:01

If the cyclists are in cycle lanes they wouldn’t be using the crossing would they? They’d be cycling with the cars. So maybe it might not be that bad unless you get a big increase in pedestrians