WalkSydney Safety

Frederick Street pedestrian crossing upgrade

Frederick Street Ashfield, Source: TfNSW

This is the WalkSydney submission on the Frederick Street pedestrian crossing upgrade. WalkSydney is the peak advocacy group working to make it easier, safer and more pleasant to walk in Sydney. WalkSydney’s vision is that “Walking will be convenient, accessible, safe and enjoyable for everyone.” With a growing population we need to ensure people canContinue reading “Frederick Street pedestrian crossing upgrade”

Who can ride on footpaths and shared pathways and what are the rules?

Footpaths Unless there are signs that specifically prohibit them, bicycles may be ridden on the footpath by: Children under the age of 16 Adults supervising a child under the age of 16 Children 16 years and older with an adult accompanying another child under the age of 16. Over 16 years bicycle riders cannot rideContinue reading “Who can ride on footpaths and shared pathways and what are the rules?”

For your protection

Observed on Hannam Street near Turrella Station:

Jailing child-killing drivers won’t stop the slaughter

Jailing child-killing drivers won’t stop the slaughter. Lower urban speed limits and redesigned streets will.

Triangles

At least 20 people, most of them children, queued up like bowling pins, on a refugee island at City Road and Cleveland Street, Sydney. Other groups are held back at the Seymour Centre, or have been already ferried across City Road to Victoria Park. This is typical, but not good, urban design.

Pedestrian islands exist at intersections only to maximise the flow of cars. To reduce the number of cars that have to make a sharp left turn, slip lanes are sometimes installed, so some cars don’t wait at a red light. This leaves people on foot having to cross the slip lane, then wait on aContinue reading “Triangles”

Traffic-free weekends at Centennial Park have revived the “People’s Park” its founder envisioned

The centennial parklands trust has been widely praised for its trial of traffic-free weekends. It should seize this opportunity to make them permanent and revive the “People’s Park” its founder envisioned.

Double Demerits

We asked the following poll on Twitter With less traffic due to Covid19 comes a rise in speeding, while at the same time many people have switched from public transport. Should government institute double demerit points for speeding in urban areas? — WalkSydney (@walksydney1) March 25, 2020 92% of you said “yes”. The rise inContinue reading “Double Demerits”

Traffic-free Boxing Day

Transport for NSW has rolled out traffic-free road changes to support pedestrian safety in the CBD today for the boxing day sales. As part of this one day arrangement, the newly opened L2 light rail will be closed from QVB to Circular Quay. L2 will only run between Randwick and Town Hall. (For those unfamiliarContinue reading “Traffic-free Boxing Day”

Pedestrian crossing

Do you think that there is something wrong with this picture? For me, a potential collision is imminent. Is the pedestrian crossing target practice for the drivers brake testing? NSW road rule 81 deals with giving way at a pedestrian crossing. Despite the requirement that a driver must give way to any pedestrian on aContinue reading “Pedestrian crossing”

The Pits of Communication

Reporting issues is a quick and easy way to help your local council look after the community.

The Double-Cross: Missing Pedestrian Crossings

Wyndham Street and Bourke Street near Green Square. So let's say you crossed O'Riordan on the side of the street with the walk signal, and you are proceeding up Wyndham. Good luck, though there is a sidewalk, the pedestrian indicator is missing. I am not clear where you are supposed to go, back to Botany Road perhaps?

Every signal controlled intersection should have protected pedestrian crossings on every side of every street. Yet this is not the case in much of Sydney. T-intersections often are missing a pedestrian crossing. Not only are marked crosswalks missing, walk signals are missing too, and pedestrians are discouraged from crossing. The reason is presumably convenience forContinue reading “The Double-Cross: Missing Pedestrian Crossings”

Sydney’s Refugee Crisis

Refugee children, trapped on a small island, trying to get to a better place, are challenged by a convoy of heavily armoured, multi-ton metallic objects moving within a mere 1 meter past their developing bodies at 50 km/h. What could go wrong? Every day during the school year, hundreds of children visit the Seymour CentreContinue reading “Sydney’s Refugee Crisis”