Alarm over Paget junction

Road safety experts will explore new ways of tackling a dangerous junction in Paget.

The move comes after a female motorcyclist was seriously injured after a hit-and-run accident at the junction of South and Point Finger Road over the weekend.

Members of the Road Safety Council will visit the spot in the coming weeks to see what improvements could be made.

And local MP, Grant Gibbons, has said he will bring the latest accident to the attention of the Department of Public Works in a bid to see if anything can be done to prevent something similar happening in the future.

Meanwhile local residents have called on Government to act before another person is seriously injured at the trouble spot.

Diana Madeiros, who lives just across from the junction of South and Point Finger Road, told the Sun she had witnessed and heard a string of accidents at the intersection.

She said: “Just a few years ago someone was killed on a horse at this very spot, when the animal got spooked by a passing vehicle.

“I have seen relatives put flowers there every year.

“It’s an exceedingly dangerous junction and something needs to be done, whether it is traffic lights or something like that. The buses come out of town along Point Finger and we have new shops in the area so there is already congestion building by 3:30pm.

“The ambulances will also head out this way, while the buses that turn right up to the roundabout can barely get around the corner without going into the other lane.”

On Saturday night a 35-year-old motorcyclist was knocked off her bike at the junction of South and Point Finger Road.

She suffered serious shoulder injuries and was rushed to hospital for treatment before being discharged.

Police are still trying to track down the driver of the car involved in the accident.

Paget MP Grant Gibbons told the Sun: “The intersection used to be part of my constituency until the border changes in 2012.

“It is a very difficult intersection because you have South Road and Point Finger Road as well as two other fairly busy roads coming into one spot.

“I was not aware of this latest accident, but it is certainly something I will speak to my colleague in Public Works about to see if there needs to be another look at it from a road safety perspective.”

Carlton Crockwell, Chairman of the Bermuda Road Safety Council, added: “I am going to be out to visit all the sites of concern to people, including Point Finger Road.”

He added that he will be meeting with staff from Works and Engineering today to discuss road safety improvements across the island.