Council redoubles campaign on pedestrian safety
Thursday, 9 May 2019
Council is taking a holistic approach to pedestrian safety, in response to figures showing that pedestrian casualties continue to rise.
Data from Roads and Maritime Services, collated by Council’s road safety officers, reveals the Inner West local government area has the highest percentage of casualties amongst pedestrians as well as bicycle and motorbike riders.
The casualty rate of pedestrians in the Inner West LGA is 11.8 percent, compared to 8 percent for the Sydney region and 6.1 percent for NSW.
Between 2011-15, on average 426 pedestrians were hit by vehicles on Council roads - 85 people each year.
Three areas of concern for Council are pedestrians aged 30-39 and over 70, motorcyclists aged 30-39 and drivers exceeding the speed limit.
Some of the measures to be looked at include:
• Reducing speeds to 40km/hr in residential streets
• Identifying trouble spots, such as near the St Peters WestConnex interchange
• High profile education campaign targeted at high accident spots
Councillor Julie Passas, who moved the motion at the last Council Meeting, said that Council decided to approach local emergency services for help in identifying and targeting high risk pedestrian behaviours, and to request more funding from RMS.
“We need to educate newcomers and the elderly in particular, and get people to use care when using pedestrians crossings, because they are not an automatic safe haven – cars just can’t stop as quickly as a pedestrian,” she said.
“And we really need to start addressing mobile phone use in our society and the danger that it is presenting. People get off the bus or step out onto pedestrian crossings without looking up and it’s just not safe.
“The Fifth UN Global Road Safety week which is currently running until 12 May is a timely reminder of the need to implement this campaign as soon as possible,” she said.
Inner West Mayor Darcy Byrne said that Council already delivered several road safety campaigns, many of which target pedestrians.
“But it seems the message is not getting through, and Council has decided we need to up the ante,” he said.
The theme for Global Road Safety Week this year is ‘Leadership for road safety’.
For a print quality images of Council’s Look Out Before You Step Out bus shelter ads or the road stencils, contact the Communication team.
For media enquiries, contact Elizabeth Heath | Media and Communications Coordinator P: +61 2 9392 5334 | E: Elizabeth.Heath@innerwest.nsw.gov.au