Pedestrian Crossing Concern Template for Councils
For Council officers and Traffic consultants
Use this template to record and assess a concern about people crossing a road. It helps turn “it is unsafe to cross here” into a clear location question: who is crossing, where and when, what vehicles and road conditions are involved, and what evidence is still needed. It does not select a crossing type or promise works. The responsible road authority and qualified practitioners must apply current jurisdictional requirements before any design or approval decision.
When to use this template
Use it for a reported unsafe crossing, informal desire line, missing connection, delayed crossing, near miss or concern at a marked or unmarked crossing. Do not use it as a crossing warrant, design brief, Road Safety Audit or approval for signs, signals or civil works.
Copyable crossing-concern form
| Field | Record |
|---|---|
| Request and exact location | [Request ID, road, crossing point or limits, map/location-record link] |
| Concern | [What people report; time, direction and people exposed] |
| Crossing activity | [Observed or reported routes, volumes if known, mobility needs, school/public-transport context] |
| Road context | [Road authority, limit, lanes, parking, bus stops, intersections, visibility and planned work] |
| Existing evidence | [Site observations, counts, crashes/incidents, prior requests, dates and limitations] |
| Evidence gap | [Specific question not yet answered] |
| Assessment question | [What must be understood before selecting a response?] |
| Next action | [Refer, collect targeted information, specialist assessment, coordinate with project, monitor] |
| Owner and review trigger | [Officer, location record and date/condition for review] |
The Austroads pedestrian tool assesses site, physical, operational and safety variables, and states that it does not replace professional judgement, local regulation or consultation. Its road-design and pedestrian-safety guidance similarly supports a location-specific, Safe System assessment. Pedestrian Facility Selection Tool, Guide to Road Design Part 4, Keeping People Safe When Walking
Fictional worked example
| Form field | Example entry |
|---|---|
| Location | Fictional Banksia Road, between the library and bus stop |
| Concern | People cross mid-block after afternoon buses; resident reports drivers do not appear to expect them. |
| Existing inputs | One morning observation; bus timetable; older corridor study. |
| Gap identified | No observation of the reported afternoon period or current pedestrian route. |
| Assessment question | How do people cross at this location in the afternoon, and what road conditions affect their safety and access? |
| Next action | Add the request to the location record; observe the relevant period and refer the completed record for appropriate crossing assessment. |
Limits and approvals
Do not infer a treatment from one complaint, a short observation or a crash extract alone. Crossing selection can require current design, accessibility, traffic-management and authority review, with different processes across jurisdictions. Retain the request, evidence links and outcome against the precise location; where your organisation uses XVision Command, follow its configured record and governance practices.
Sources and further guidance
- Austroads, Pedestrian Facility Selection Tool.
- Austroads, Guide to Road Design Part 4: Intersections and Crossings.
- Austroads, Keeping People Safe When Walking.