WED 8 OCT 2014
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PROUDLY INDEPENDENT P
Trades & Services Tra Need help at your place this weekend? p.11
Highway hazard Pedestrian calls for improved traffic signals following a near-miss MELISSAH COMBER
Moody rockers back in town
Calls to end violence in our schools p.3
Countdown has begun Hunter marks 100 days until Asian Cup p.13
A
n East Maitland man has called for dedicated turning lights to be installed on a highway intersection after he was almost hit by a car. Tim Crews told the Post that he was crossing the New England Highway at East Maitland last week when a car turning right out of High Street did not notice him crossing on the pedestrian green light. “I went across and a car accelerated around and was looking for cars [coming in the opposite direction] but wasn’t watching for pedestrians,” he said. “I don’t blame him because I know exactly what he was doing, but to have a green arrow separate to the walking would be wonderful.” Mr Crews said that the car stopped within a metre of him. “I had the green man to walk, so he slammed on the brakes and I had to jump back,” he said. “It was a bit scary.” Mr Crews believed the danger came from the lack of dedicated turning lights for those trying to turn out of High Street. “Coming this way [down High Street] doesn’t actually have an arrow, so it’s green to go straight ahead and people fly down that hill really quick to make the lights,” he said. After witnessing a near-miss involving a student near Maitland High School, Mr Crews said he contacted Maitland City Council but was referred
Tim Crews, where he was almost hit by a car on the New England Highway at East Maitland to Roads and Maritime Services (RMS). “Something that I find really difficult is that they’ll say that it’s a State or Federal road, but I don’t want to go down that road with the RMS [Council] should handle it for the people,” he said. Council’s manager infrastructure planning and development engineering, Stephen Hawes, said while traffic signals were the responsibility of the
RMS, Council accepted inquiries about them. “Council will investigate the matters raised and provide comment as part of the referral process to the RMS,” he said. “If Council does not support a request from a resident, Council will in the first instance contact the resident regarding the reasons why, before making a referral to the RMS.”
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