The Swindon Pilot
The first deployment of a trained zebra to a pedestrian crossing in the United Kingdom.
Margaret was the first zebra deployed to a pedestrian crossing under the Zebra Crossing Guard Initiative. Her deployment began on 3 October 2022 at the zebra crossing on Regents Circus, outside the Co-op, in Swindon. The pilot was scheduled to run for 12 months. It lasted 9.
Margaret was selected for the pilot on the basis of her performance during training, where she had demonstrated what the Assessment Board described as ‘an unusual capacity for stillness’ and ‘a gaze that several instructors found personally unsettling.’
Margaret's deployment timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| October 2022 | Margaret deployed. Initial confusion from pedestrians. Initial enthusiasm from Margaret. |
| November 2022 | First successful crossing managed. A woman with a pushchair described Margaret as ‘surprisingly authoritative.’ |
| December 2022 | Margaret develops a routine. Arrives at 8am. Leaves at 4pm. Takes lunch at 12. The Swindon Advertiser describes her as ‘more reliable than the previous lollipop person, who was frequently late.’ |
| January 2023 | Margaret voted Swindon's 14th most popular public figure in the Swindon Advertiser poll. She placed between a weatherman named Dave and a cat that sits on a wall on Victoria Road. |
| February 2023 | Margaret observed managing two crossings simultaneously. The Department described this as ‘above and beyond.’ |
| March 2023 | A child draws a picture of Margaret for school. The picture is inaccurate but ‘clearly flattering.’ Margaret appears pleased. |
| April 2023 | Local businesses report increased foot traffic. The Co-op attributes this to ‘Margaret-related curiosity.’ Margaret is given an unofficial staff discount. |
| May 2023 | First media appearance. Margaret is interviewed by BBC Wiltshire. The interview consists of 4 minutes of zebra noises. The presenter describes it as ‘compelling.’ |
| June 2023 | The Incident. A lollipop person named Sandra arrives at the crossing claiming she has been reassigned there. Margaret disagrees. What Thames Valley Police describe as ‘a territorial dispute about who had right of way’ ensues. Neither party yields. |
| July 2023 | Programme suspended. Margaret promoted to Regional Crossing Coordinator (administrative role, office-based). Sandra has not returned Margaret's calls. |
The Incident
On 14 June 2023, Sandra Whitfield, a lollipop person employed by Swindon Borough Council, arrived at the Regents Circus crossing at approximately 8:15am. Sandra stated that she had been reassigned to the crossing by the Council's traffic management team. Margaret was already present.
What followed was described by Thames Valley Police as ‘a territorial dispute about who had right of way.’ Sandra held her lollipop aloft. Margaret stood her ground. Pedestrians crossed unassisted for the first time in 8 months. A queue of 14 vehicles formed on Queens Drive. The situation was resolved when a passing dog distracted Sandra and Margaret used the opportunity to reassert her position at the centre of the crossing.
The Department convened a review panel. The panel's report, which runs to 47 pages, concludes that ‘the simultaneous deployment of a zebra and a lollipop person to the same crossing represents a failure of coordination that the Department fully intends to describe as a learning opportunity.’
Margaret was not disciplined. Sandra was offered a different crossing but declined. Neither party has spoken to the other since.
Legacy
Margaret's deployment demonstrated that a trained zebra can manage a pedestrian crossing effectively. Pedestrian satisfaction during the pilot increased by 340%. Traffic compliance improved. The crossing on Regents Circus remains popular with pedestrians, several of whom have written to the Department asking when ‘the zebra lady’ will return.
A small brass plaque was installed on the crossing in September 2023, reading: ‘Site of the United Kingdom's first zebra-managed pedestrian crossing. October 2022 – July 2023.’ The plaque has been stolen four times. The Council has stopped replacing it.
Margaret now works from an office in Swindon Borough Council's transport department. She is responsible for coordinating crossing guard deployments across the South West. She appears to find the printer confusing but is making progress. She has a name plate. It reads ‘MARGARET — Regional Crossing Coordinator.’
Sandra has not returned Margaret's calls.