Are they subtly different!? The usability of "(325-3) Bicycles and Pedestrians Only" vs. "(325-4) Pedestrians Only"
On urban roads, there are sometimes regulations that allow only pedestrians or (ordinary) bicycles to pass. Typical examples include "sidewalks," "pedestrian paradises," and "school zones." Regulatory signs often used to indicate these restrictions include "(325-3) Bicycles and Pedestrians Only," "(325-4) Pedestrians Only," or "(302) No Vehicles Allowed." This article explains the differences when these signs are used.
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Bicycles and Pedestrians Only
The purpose of this regulation is to prohibit vehicles other than ordinary bicycles from passing and to ensure the safe passage of pedestrians and ordinary bicycles. It is applied to roads where it is highly necessary to ensure the safe and smooth passage of ordinary bicycles and pedestrians, such as residential streets and school routes. This regulatory sign is also installed on sidewalks.
Pedestrians Only
The purpose of this regulation is to prohibit vehicle traffic and, at the same time, lift restrictions on pedestrian traffic methods to ensure pedestrian safety and a good living environment. It is applied to roads such as the following:
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Residential streets that lack sidewalks or road shoulders of sufficient width, and fall under any of the following:
Roads such as shopping streets where vehicle traffic may pose a risk to pedestrian safety
Roads with high pedestrian traffic for purposes such as commuting to school, kindergarten, work, shopping, or recreation
Roads with high pedestrian traffic near hospitals, parks, or other public facilities
Roads with high traffic of elderly or disabled persons near welfare facilities, etc.
Roads that have sidewalks or road shoulders of sufficient width for normal traffic, but experience significant congestion on Sundays, holidays, etc., due to large numbers of pedestrians gathering for shopping or strolling, causing them to overflow into the roadway
Roads within parks, tourist areas, etc., with high pedestrian traffic (excluding areas regulated based on management rights)
Roads where festivals, various events, etc., are held
What are the differences between the two?
Let's look at whether the only difference between "(325-3) Bicycles and Pedestrians Only" and "(325-4) Pedestrians Only" is whether ordinary bicycles can pass.
As explained in the article "Alternative Representations of Regulatory Signs," by specifying excluded vehicles with auxiliary signs, several different regulatory signs can express similar meanings.
"Bicycles and Pedestrians Only" seems equivalent to "Pedestrians Only" with "Except Bicycles" added. However, the National Police Agency's "Traffic Regulation Standards" contains the following provision:
2. Note that while this regulation is similar to a "pedestrian road," ordinary bicycles and vehicles permitted to pass are not subject to the obligation under Article 9 of the Act to "proceed slowly while paying special attention to pedestrians," and pedestrians are subject to obligations such as walking on the right side of the road and using crosswalks.
1. When allowing passage while imposing an obligation on ordinary bicycles to proceed slowly, an auxiliary sign "Vehicle Type Method (503-A)" shall be attached to this sign, and the inscription shall be "Except Bicycles."
In other words, "Pedestrians Only" has the following differences compared to "Bicycles and Pedestrians Only".
Ordinary bicycles and vehicles traveling with permission are obligated to proceed at a slow speed.
Pedestrians are no longer obligated to walk on the right side of the road or use crosswalks, and may walk anywhere on the road.
Conversely, where "Bicycles and Pedestrians Only" or "No Vehicles Allowed" regulations are in place, it is necessary to keep the following in mind.
Permitted vehicles may travel at normal speeds rather than proceeding slowly.
Pedestrians must walk on the right side of the road or use crosswalks.
However, the "obligation to walk on the right side" and "obligation to use crosswalks" are stipulated in Article 10 of the Road Traffic Act, and since sidewalks are not included, they do not apply to sidewalks.
Article 10 Pedestrians must walk on the right side of the road on roads where there is no distinction between sidewalks or road shoulders with sufficient width for pedestrian traffic (referred to as "sidewalks, etc." in the following paragraph and the next article) and the roadway. However, when it is dangerous to walk on the right side of the road or in other unavoidable circumstances, they may walk on the left side of the road.
2 Pedestrians must walk on sidewalks, etc., on roads where there is a distinction between sidewalks, etc., and the roadway, except in the cases listed in the following items:
i When crossing the roadway.
ii When it is impossible to walk on the sidewalk, etc., due to road construction, etc., or in other unavoidable circumstances.
3 Pedestrians walking on a sidewalk pursuant to the provisions of the preceding paragraph must endeavor to avoid the designated bicycle traffic area stipulated in Article 63-4, Paragraph 2 as much as possible.
Differences in enactment years and observations
Depending on the prefecture, there seems to be a preference for using regulatory signs such as "(325-3) Bicycles and Pedestrians Only," "(325-4) Pedestrians Only," or "(302) No Vehicles Allowed" when designating pedestrian-only roads.
One thing to consider here is the year each sign was enacted. In fact, both "Bicycles and Pedestrians Only" and "Pedestrians Only" were enacted after 1963, when Japan's modern signs were established. Looking at old photos of pedestrian paradises, it is clear that "No Vehicles Allowed" signs were used initially.
Large-scale pedestrian paradises began in the four districts of Ginza, Shinjuku, Ikebukuro, and Asakusa in Tokyo in 1970, and it seems that the development of signs progressed in line with this.
Roads that were regulated before these signs were enacted used "No Vehicles Allowed" or "Bicycles and Pedestrians Only," and it is thought that in some cases these have remained unchanged to this day. Even within Tokyo, "Bicycles and Pedestrians Only" has long been used for vehicle traffic regulations on residential roads, but with recent sign updates, many signs have been replaced with "Pedestrians Only" with an auxiliary sign stating "Except Bicycles". By doing this, it is possible to realize a more secure pedestrian road where permitted vehicles also proceed slowly and there is no obligation regarding where pedestrians walk.
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