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THURSDAY, MAY 30, 1985
HOWEVER, BEFORE SUCH MEASURES ARE UNDERTAKEN, THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT WILL CONSULT OTHER GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS AND DISTRICT BOARDS TO ENSURE THAT THE REASONS FOR THE MEASURES ARE UNDERSTOOD AND ACCEPTED.
THE PEDESTRIAN PROBLEM SPOTS REVIEW 1984, WHICH HAS BEEN SENT TO DISTRICT BOARDS FOR INFORMATION, IS THE 14TH IN THE SERIES.
IT LISTS OUT THE LOCATIONS OF PEDESTRIAN PROBLEM SPOTS AND PEDESTRIAN CROSSING FACILITIES IN EACH DISTRICT BOARD AREA, IDENTIFIES THE CAUSES OF ACCIDENTS, REMEDIAL MEASURES TAKEN AND ASSESSED THE EFFECTS OF THESE MEASURES AT SOME OF THE PROBLEM SPOTS.
+PROBLEM SPOTS+ ARE DEFINED AS LOCATIONS WHERE SIX OR MORE PEDESTRIAN ACCIDENTS HAD OCCURRED IN A 12-MONTH PERIOD.
ALTHOUGH PEDESTRIAN ACCIDENTS CONTINUE TO DECLINE, THE REVIEW IS CONCERNED OVER THE HIGH FATALITY RATE. STATISTICS SHOW THAT IN 1983, PEDESTRIAN DEATHS ACCOUNTED FOR 70 PER CENT OF THE FATALITIES FROM TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS AND PEDESTRIAN ACCIDENTS FOR 45 PER CENT OF ALL RECORDED INJURY ACCIDENTS ON THE ROADS.
PEDESTRIANS FACED OTHER PROBLEMS APART FROM ACCIDENTS. IT IS NOT UNCOMMON, PARTICULARLY IN THE OLDER PARTS OF THE URBAN AREA, FOR PEDESTRIANS TO HAVE TO PUT UP WITH NARROW, CONGESTED • PAVEMENTS WITH SLIPPERY OR UNEVEN SURFACES. THE REVIEW EMPHASISED THAT THERE IS A NEED TO PLACE GREATER EMPHASIS ON THE NEED TO EXPAND AND IMPROVE PEDESTRIAN FACILITIES.
THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT IS EXAMINING A NUMBER OF AREAS, FOR EXAMPLE IN ABERDEEN, WHICH HAVE PARTICULAR PEDESTRIAN FLOW PROBLEMS AND VARIOUS SOLUTIONS RANGING FROM AREA-WIDE PLANS TO SMALLER SINGLE LOCATION IMPROVEMENTS WILL BE RECOMMENDED.
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