The UK pelican crossing was introduced in 1969. Its name comes from “pedestrian light controlled,” abbreviated as PELICON, and it became Britain’s first definitive light-controlled pedestrian crossing.
Pelican crossings developed from the earlier experimental X-way crossing. That design used a white diagonal cross rather than a conventional green traffic light, but the symbol confused or concerned road users. Replacing it with a green light, along with revised timings and road markings, produced the pelican crossing introduced under the 1969 regulations.
A standard pelican crossing uses pedestrian push buttons, signal heads for drivers and pedestrians, and fixed timings. During the clearance phase, the green pedestrian figure flashes while vehicles receive a flashing amber signal, allowing traffic to proceed only when the crossing is clear. This differs from newer puffin crossings, which use sensors and place pedestrian signals beside the push-button unit.
Pelican crossings began to be phased out for new installations in Great Britain after 2016, although many existing crossings remain in service.