Britain Builds Fast Lanes for Ducks

Good manners are about as essential to British culture as tea and crumpets, which is why England is turning to its ducks for a vital lesson on basic waterfront etiquette.

Anyone who’s been to London knows that in summer, the walkways along the canals become a battleground for ambling pedestrians, irate cyclists, boat keepers, and strollers the size of battering rams. Add birds to the mix and things go from hectic to anarchic.  

But now, waterfowl are getting their own lane to do some self-righteous waddling in. As of May 15, duck lanes have been painted onto the streets of three British cities—Birmingham, London, and Manchester—with the birds’ recognizable silhouettes, along with playful instructions to #sharethespace.  It’s all part of a new campaign called “Share the Space, Drop your Pace,” run by the Canal & River Trust, a U.K. conservation charity that oversees 2,000 miles of waterways in England and Wales. The campaign is intended to “preserve the peace” on the country’s historic towpaths by encouraging “old-fashioned manners,” the website explains. Since ducks are common canal swimmers, they’re often victims of bad-mannered human traffic, which is why the Trust turned these beloved birds into the mascot for their initiative.

“The duck lanes are there to show how narrow the towpath is, and how it would be impossible to have lanes for everyone,” says Sarah Burns, campaigns manager at the Canal & River Trust. Although they're temporary, the Trust hopes they’ll have a lasting effect on the public that swarms these walkways. Burns says that they were used by over 400 million people in 2014.

Of course, it’s unlikely that the birds themselves will actually stick to these defined “duckways.” But the paths will hopefully make humans more aware of the need to accommodate the wildlife that inhabits Britain’s canals. Though they’re highly polluted in some parts, the country’s urban waterways still provide a home for wild birds such as Mallard Ducks, cormorants, Mute Swans, and coots.

Each of these species is free to use the duck lanes, too. “All birds are welcome!” Burns says. If humans are caught treading on this avian fast lane, though, they’d better watch out: ducks do reserve the right to tailgate.