Orange residents have given their views on how pedestrian safety can be improved in the central business district.
ORANGE residents say a dividing fence down Summer Street, a reduced speed limit of 40km/h, better behaved drivers and roundabouts with no shrubbery will help in cutting pedestrian accidents in the city.
The residents, who took part in a recent Roads and Maritime Services focus group, were asked to give their ideas on how pedestrian safety in Summer Street could be improved.
On Thursday night Orange City Council was told the RMS had decided to undertake the study to determine why Orange had such a high incidence of pedestrian accidents.
Charles Everett said he was out shopping when he was approached to take part.
“I was asked if I would be part of a survey and I had some thoughts on it so I went along to the focus group ,” he said.
“We had three people in the group who were in wheelchairs, another who was in a gofer and there were about 11 of us who all had something strong to say.”
He said one suggestion was that a fence similar to the one in Woodward Street outside Orange High School should be built the length of Summer Street.
“The suggestion was that would stop people just crossing anywhere they like,” he said.
Mr Everett said the idea of lowering the speed limit in the central business district to 40km/h was also put forward.
He said difficulty crossing the road at roundabouts was an issue for able-bodied pedestrians and those using mobility aids.
“The consensus was that it is difficult for people in wheelchairs to see across roundabouts so they can cross the road safely, so all shrubbery needs to be taken out to give a clear view,” he said.
A Roads and Maritime Services spokesperson told the Central Western Daily on Thursday it had decided to come to Orange to survey residents unannounced as it wanted to get an overview with unbiased community insights.
Mr Everett said major safety issues in other busy central business district streets also needed to be addressed.
“Places like Byng, Kite and Peisley streets are incredibly busy streets with safety issues for pedestrians,” he said.
The RMS initiated the survey to determine why there had been 24 accidents involving pedestrians in the Orange CBD in the last five years.
