11 April 2012

Greens lay out a pedestrian safety plan

| johnboy
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pedestrian crossing

The Greens’ Amanda Bresnan is ringing the bell for her plans to make roads safer for pedestrians:

“An important part of the Greens’ transport strategy is to reduce traffic speeds at key pedestrian areas such as schools, shopping centres and community centres, and to install new pedestrian crossings and footpaths.

“We have already made submissions to the upcoming ACT Budget for $3million over three years to improve walking paths and crossings around the Erindale Centre.

“Through the Parliamentary Agreement we also secured 40kmh speed limit trials in Gungahlin and Woden town centres, as well as millions of extra dollars to improve paths.

“In addition, the ACT Greens want to:

– Lower traffic speed limits in select areas such as shopping precincts and community facilities such as schools and aged care;
– Review the guidelines governing the setting of speed limits, and the installation of pedestrian crossings, to favour safe and easy pedestrian travel;
– Install new pedestrian crossings and footpaths. Many pedestrian routes still lack safe crossings, and 20% of Canberra streets have no footpaths.

“We have identified many areas around Canberra that need safer crossing points or slower speed limits. These include the Erindale Centre, Deakin School, Mawson Shopping Centre, Florey Shops, Woden Town Centre, and Cooleman Court.

“It is a Greens’ priority to improve conditions for pedestrians in Canberra. Everyone is a pedestrian, whether they usually drive a car, catch a bus or ride a bike, and we need to ensure they are central to transport planning,” Ms Bresnan concluded.

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housebound said :

What we really need is for cars to have someone walking in front waving a red flag. Best way to keep everyone safe.

And more speed cameras.
You know it makes sense.

So they can speed up?

What we really need is for cars to have someone walking in front waving a red flag. Best way to keep everyone safe.

Talking about pedestrian safety. Has anyone noticed how fast some of the buses in the civic interchange are?

The speed limit is meant to be 20, but I’m sure they are doing more like 40.

GardeningGirl6:21 pm 11 Apr 12

carnardly said :

A lot of them would be far safer if they put down their phones and ipods before walking out in front of traffic.

As demonstrated to us last week. We stopped, we waited, he continued on without ever showing any indication that he had noticed the road he had just crossed or the vehicles on it.

screaming banshee6:12 pm 11 Apr 12

rhino said :

Was there a sharp increase in pedestrians being run over? I’m just trying to see what the need was for this. I have a suspicion that it is a fix to a problem that wasn’t really a problem.

A struggle for relevance.

Is this a knee jerk reaction to an air swing?

carnardly said :

A lot of them would be far safer if they put down their phones and ipods before walking out in front of traffic.

True that. I can’t imagine ever being hit by a car while crossing the road at any of those locations. I just look at the cars coming and cross when there is a gap. You don’t even really have to be at the pedestrian crossing unless there is an endless stream of cars, which is extremely rare.

neanderthalsis4:50 pm 11 Apr 12

carnardly said :

A lot of them would be far safer if they put down their phones and ipods before walking out in front of traffic.

You’re actually supposed to hit the mindlessly shuffling drones with the ipod going while texting and wearing a hoodie.. They’re actually the vanguard of the zombie invasion and must be stopped.

A lot of them would be far safer if they put down their phones and ipods before walking out in front of traffic.

Was there a sharp increase in pedestrians being run over? I’m just trying to see what the need was for this. I have a suspicion that it is a fix to a problem that wasn’t really a problem.

Grail said :

Interesting reading about how pedestrians are pedestrian over at the Slate, if anyone cares: Crisis of Walking.

Nice one, interesting stuff.

Interesting reading about how pedestrians are pedestrian over at the Slate, if anyone cares: Crisis of Walking.

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