Mum welcomes safety measure at Hull crossing where son died
THE mother of a boy killed when he was hit by a bus in Hull city centre has welcomed new timers showing people how long they have to cross the road.
Two “countdown timers” are now in place in Margaret Moxon Way, between the Paragon Interchange and St Stephen’s shopping centre in Ferensway, close to where two people have been killed and others injured.
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New road safety technology on a busy pedestrian crossing between Paragon Interchange and St Stephen’s shopping centre.
The displays tell people exactly how long they have to cross the road, counting down the time from the green man to the red man, before buses start to move.
Jack Fisher, 14, died in April 2008 after being hit by a bus trying to cross the nearby Brook Street junction with Ferensway.
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His mother Colette Scholes, 46, said although the new technology is not on the same crossing where her son died, she hopes it will help save lives.
She said: “Anything to improve safety and make people aware can only be a good thing.
“I hope this will make a difference to other people’s lives.”
Jack and two friends had used two crossings in Ferensway before reaching Brook Street.
One of the friends crossed the road and the other stepped on to it, but quickly stepped back.
Jack, of North Road, west Hull, continued to cross and was hit by the bus.
Colette said she knows only too well the heartbreak of losing a loved one on a pedestrian crossing and urged people to take more care.
She said: “Unfortunately, people still walk out into the road. I stand there and watch them.
“People are not teaching their children anything.
“People can see the red and the green man but they ignore it. They are just chancing with their lives.
“Risking your life for a couple of seconds is not worth it.”
In November 2010, pensioner Colin Lyon died from head injuries after being knocked down by a bus on the pedestrian crossing between the interchange and St Stephen’s.
A subsequent inquest heard Mr Lyon, 70, failed to look before crossing when the red man signal was showing.
Graham Hall, assistant head of service for transport and asset management at Hull City Council, said the technology could be rolled out to other crossings in the city.
He said: “Unfortunately, people have been ignoring the red man signals on the crossing and we hope the countdown system will encourage pedestrians to take more care when crossing the road.
“The countdown should reduce confusion and uncertainty for pedestrians by displaying exactly how long they have left to cross the road.
“The system is already used in Europe and America, and London has recently rolled out the system across the city following a successful trial.
“Bringing it to Hull is just one of the ways we are continuing to improve safety on our streets.
“We will be monitoring its success and, if it proves to be of benefit, will consider introducing it on other crossings in the city.”
Comments
by thesnooper
Wednesday, August 29 2012, 12:26AM
“without doubt it was bad design spencer street should have been altered so buses could use it properly and provision made in building st stephens so that buses entered the interchange via portland place it was all done without the thought it should have had”
by smartguy1
Tuesday, August 28 2012, 7:09PM
“I like what they do in America. Walk or Don't Walk, simple. Flashing green or red men is just stupid, a bit like where we have lights where you can travel straight on but are red for turning right and vice versa. The highways department needs to look at some serious issues with traffic lights in general in our city.”
by David_Nivea
Monday, August 27 2012, 10:38PM
“There already are safety measures to assist in not being run over in the form of red and green pedestrian-oriented lights & signs, which are widely ignored. This latest desperate attempt to avoid admitting that people are actually responsible for themselves will also be be ignored. How difficult is it to simply stop and wait for the green light before stepping out? Not at all, is the answer.
People are too stupid/impatient/selfish to use them correctly.”
by jackboo2011
Monday, August 27 2012, 8:36PM
“As a bus driver i see these idiots at least 10-11 times a day , mums with buggies old people ,young kids .How bloody difficult is it to cross a road green cross code , if you are hit by a 16ton bus you are a pancake you stand no chance . You then get a load of abuse because you have used your horn to warn them you are about to crush every bone in their body , its not just here but behind debenhams use common sense for Christ sake. If you cant understand red man green man expect to be run over full stop.”
by ghostwriter69
Monday, August 27 2012, 8:09PM
“froggy39
They also have this law in Germany. No one crosses on the red light no matter how empty the road is. Unfortunately they spoil it by giving the pedestrians at a set of traffic lights the green man at the same time as the traffic turning right gets green - which causes lots of accidents.”
by harryoffdock2
Monday, August 27 2012, 7:22PM
“Crossing a road is a Darwin test, it helps eradicate the terminally dim if they fail it.”
by taxidriver3
Monday, August 27 2012, 6:28PM
“would it cost alot to erect 2 overhead walk ways at these points.”
by empdal
Monday, August 27 2012, 5:00PM
“The problem with the timers is that they show how long there is to cross AFTER the red man has come on and therefore encourage people to cross after this point and goes against the green cross code. The lights don't change to green for the buses when the countdown reaches zero either as you still have another couple of seconds.
As a bus driver myself I often see people cross against the lights, on the Brook street side of Ferensway the Red man comes on to pedestrians about 6-8 seconds before the lights actually change to traffic and most people assume as the road traffic isn't moving that they can still cross.
Most people won't even see the timers as they'll be too busy talking on their mobiles anyway!”
by empdal
Monday, August 27 2012, 4:58PM
“The problem with the timers is that they show how long there is to cross AFTER the red man has come on and therefore encourage people to cross after this point and goes against the green cross code. The lights don't change to green for the buses when the countdown reaches zero either as you still have another couple of seconds.
As a bus driver myself I often see people cross against the lights, on the Brook street side of Ferensway the Red man comes on to pedestrians about 6-8 seconds before the lights actually change to traffic and most people assume as the road traffic isn't moving that they can still cross.
Most people won't even see the timers as they'll be too busy talking on their mobiles anyway!”
by opinionhated
Monday, August 27 2012, 4:02PM
“Why does EVERYBODY'S world have to change to accomodate the inadequacies of STUPID people?”