Exclusive: City vows to review safety at busy junction

A city road junction where a woman was injured earlier this week has been branded a menace to pedestrians.

And local business people warned that the junction — where Parliament Street crosses Reid Street — could claim a life unless action is taken.

Yesterday, the City of Hamilton promised to take another look at the area with a view to making it safer.

Janet Olden, who has worked in health food shop Down to Earth on Reid Street, near the busy junction, for ten years, said: “There have been a lot of accidents there — lights and pedestrian-controlled crossings might not be a bad idea. I’m sure some people would still shoot across but I’m sure it would prevent a few people being knocked down.”

And she said, although traffic heading up past the old police station and turning or crossing was usually travelling slowly, it was “possible” a pedestrian could be killed by faster-moving traffic on Reid Street.

Ms Olden was speaking after a 24-year-old Paget female pedestrian needed hospital treatment after being involved in a collision with by a car at the junction around lunchtime on Monday.

Traffic is one-way up Parliament Street and also a two-lane one way system on Reid Street.

Bibiana Vieira, who works in Bang Bang hair, on the corner of the intersection, said: “Sometimes people just speed across and don’t pay attention.”

She added that existing zebra crossings were faded and covered over by asphalt in places from roadworks.

Ms Vieira said: “They should be repainted also – but drivers should be more aware as to where the sidewalks and crossings are and of pedestrians.”

Alex Nanud, of Reid Street’s Music Box, added: “It is kind of a dangerous area, especially for pedestrians coming up past the old police station to cross.

“The cars on one lane will stop to let you out, but the cars on the other side don’t. It’s quite dangerous.

“Older people and children would be more at risk. I spend a lot of time in the area, so I know to look carefully before I cross, but it’s very busy.”

Another worker in an office nearby, who asked not to be named, said a woman had narrowly avoided being struck by a car at the same crossing only three weeks ago.

Stop light

A similar crossroads on Church Street and Parliament Street does have pedestrian-controlled crossings and traffic lights.

Mr Nanud said: “I think a stop light here would help the situation out a bit.”

The 1947 Road Traffic Act warns drivers that they should be able to stop in good time if approaching a pedestrian crossing and not overtake another vehicle at a crossing.

Patrick Cooper, Acting Chief Operating Officer for the City of Hamilton said there had been roadworks in the area, which were nearing completion, and the markings were scheduled to be repainted at the end of June. 

He added: ”We also will review the junction as part of our on-going Traffic Light Upgrade Project and determine the options available to improve safety in this area.”