What is the difference between pelican, puffin and toucan crossings in Northern Ireland?

Pelican, puffin and toucan crossings are all signal-controlled, but they operate differently and toucan crossings also allow cyclists to ride across.

Pelican crossings have a flashing-amber phase for vehicles. Puffin crossings use pedestrian detection and no flashing amber. Toucan crossings serve both pedestrians and cyclists.

This is a vulnerable-road-user question, so the Northern Ireland Highway Code expects drivers to plan for people who may be harder to see, slower to react or more easily injured. The Code repeatedly stresses lower speed, wider clearance, observation and patience around pedestrians, cyclists, children and horse riders rather than treating priority as a licence to press on.

For this exact question — “What is the difference between pelican, puffin and toucan crossings in Northern Ireland?” — the practical point is: Always follow the actual signals at the site rather than relying on the crossing name alone. The answer should be applied to the actual signs, conditions, licence wording or parking rules in force at the time, because temporary restrictions and individual DVA decisions can change the ordinary position.