Safety survey for Killyleagh street

Safety survey for Killyleagh street

2 November 2016

ROADS officials have agreed to carry out a new traffic survey in Killyleagh to determine if they will provide a new pelican crossing at Catherine Street.

Councillor Billy Walker renewed his appeal for the crossing during a meeting with senior roads officials last week.

While there is a pedestrian crossing currently in place at Catherine Street, it needs to be upgraded to a pelican crossing which would allow people to stop traffic at the touch of a button so they could cross the road safely.

Councillor Walker said roads officials have informed him that if they agree to upgrade the crossing it may have to be moved slightly.

“My previous appeals for a pelican crossing have been rejected, but I sense roads officials recognise this is what is required. There have been a number of near misses involving pedestrians and an elderly lady was knocked down while using the existing crossing a number of months ago,” he said.

“The big worry I have is that unless there is a mechanism to stop cars completely to allow people to cross this very busy road safely, there could be a fatality. The biggest concern many in Killyleagh have is the speed of vehicles approaching Catherine Street from the Comber direction.”

Councillor Walker said Transport NI has a duty of care to pedestrians in Killyleagh and should provide a pelican crossing at Catherine Street.

Also during his meeting with roads officials last week, Councillor Walker asked them to consider extending the 30mph limit at the Killyleagh Road in Crossgar. He said given the location of a new housing development at this part of the village there is a need to extend the limit further towards the Killyleagh direction.

He added: “This is a very busy road. The volume of traffic it handles and the number of pedestrians at this part of the village merits the speed limit being extended.”