Drivers have slammed a council’s bizarre cartoon-style road markings while warning that they could cause migraines.
Coventry City Council installed the jagged patterns in a bid to ‘encourage drivers and pedestrians to be aware of each other’ at a cost of more than £21,000.
The so-called flash crossing was painted outside the city’s railway station last week and council bosses said it would create a ‘memorable impression’ for visitors.
But bemused commuters have taken to social media to express their opposition to the markings, with some saying it is causing drivers to suffer headaches.
Barry Vin tweeted: ‘They look like the ‘pow’ marks in Batman comics. It’s bizarre. Why not give a lollipop lady the money instead?
Coventry City Council installed the jagged patterns in a bid to ‘encourage drivers and pedestrians to be aware of each other’ at a cost of more than £21,000
Bemused commuters have taken to social media to express their opposition to the markings, with some saying it is causing drivers to suffer headaches
‘Talk about migraine-inducing! What the hell’s wrong with a black-and-white zebra crossing??’
Kelly Smith tweeted: ‘Interesting new road markings at Coventry station! Bit slippy though.’
Emma Bauer added: ‘What about spending money that people need in Coventry.. Like sorting out the homeless and give then a place to live !!!’
Helen Hatfield said: ‘People will be to busy looking at that migraine of a crossing than out for cars or pedestrians.’
The council has defended the markings, saying they will improve road safety as well as providing a ‘memorable impression’ for visitors.
Councillor Jayne Innes, cabinet member for city services, said: ‘I absolutely love this section of road. It’s fantastic.
Emma Bauer added: ‘What about spending money that people need in Coventry.. Like sorting out the homeless and give then a place to live !!!’
A spokesperson for the council said: ‘The new flash crossing cost a total of £21,640 which was funded by grant money from the government’s Growth Deal’
Barry Vin tweeted: ‘They look like the ‘pow’ marks in Batman comics. It’s bizarre. Why not give a lollipop lady the money instead?’
‘It’s our own bit of art on the road, welcoming visitors to the city and making a memorable impression.
‘The flash design has been used before in London but we’ve tweaked it so we are the only city to have it in blue. The right colour choice for our great city.
‘It’s similar to some of our red sections of road in the city centre which are working well, creating a new and more considerate environment.
‘The temporary surface will remain in place until we fully the redevelop the station area.
‘In time the pedestrian route to the station will be fully pedestrianised.
‘I hope we can look at more innovative and artistic solutions like this for other roads in the city.’
The so-called flash crossing was painted outside the city’s railway station last week and council bosses said it would create a ‘memorable impression’ for visitors
A council spokesman added: ‘The flash crossing aims to encourage drivers and pedestrians to be aware of each other. To allow vehicles and pedestrians to travel but with consideration for one another’
A council spokesman said: ‘The new flash crossing cost a total of £21,640 which was funded by grant money from the government’s Growth Deal.
‘That cost is £25 more per metre squared than the normal anti-skid surfacing required at such a site and used at other locations around the city.
‘But it has the advantage that it takes less time to install, costs less to maintain and can be removed more easily if needed in the future.
‘The flash crossing aims to encourage drivers and pedestrians to be aware of each other.
‘To allow vehicles and pedestrians to travel but with consideration for one another.
‘The materials are the same as those used for zebra crossings with a life span of about five years.
‘There will be some early tracking on the surface – this means vehicle tyres will leave marks on the surface for the first few weeks. This is normal and they will rub off naturally, in time.’