St Stephen's boss in call to pedestrianise Hull's Ferensway after latest accident
A SHOPPING centre manager is leading the calls for one of the main roads through Hull city centre to be partly pedestrianised.
Jim Harris, manager of St Stephen's shopping centre, has put forward the idea after a 35-year-old cyclist was injured in an accident with a lorry.
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PLEA: Jim Harris outside St Stephen's in Ferensway. Picture: Jack Harland
However, Hull City Council said the move would not be practical.
A Humberside Police spokeswoman told the Mail the road was closed for an hour from 5.30pm on Wednesday after the cyclist collided with the side of the lorry near, the Anlaby Road junction.
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The cyclist suffered a fractured wrist and injuries to his knees.
Mr Harris said: "The accident happened a little further down from us. We have noticed more and more cyclists coming along Ferensway.
"I think they should look to pedestrianise part of Ferensway allowing just pedestrians, buses, cyclists and taxis to use part of the road.
"The road can be quite frustrating for drivers as there are quite a lot of traffic lights and it is a bit stop-start along the road.
"They should consider pedestrianising Ferensway from the Anlaby Road junction to near Blundell's Corner."
The area has been the scene of numerous accidents in recent years, for both pedestrians and cyclists.
Jack Fisher died after being hit by a bus while trying to cross the Brook Street junction with Ferensway more than four years ago.
In May 2009, a cyclist was knocked down by a bus as it turned right on to Brook Street.
Pete Dove is the welfare officer and ride co-ordinator of the Hull and East Yorkshire branch of one of the UK's largest cycling charity, Cycle Touring Club.
He said: "Cycling along a road like Ferensway is nerve-wracking. There isn't enough space.
"Ferensway is a no-no for me. I tend to just cycle around the local streets in Anlaby."
Speaking about Wednesday's accident, East Yorkshire Motor Services (EYMS) commercial manager Bob Rackley, said: "Our buses were delayed by about half an hour.
"They had to go out of the back way out of the bus station but couldn't go across the railway bridge on Park Street because of their weight.
"There have been talks about the pedestrianisation of Ferensway but what would be the alternative for lorries and the impact on the side streets with the extra cars?
"It is a difficult one and one that we have spoken to Hull City Council about."
Despite the calls for pedestrianisation, Graham Hall, assistant head of service for transport at Hull City Council, said: "We do not consider it is practical to pedestrianise any part of Ferensway as it is one of the main routes in and out of the city.
"We are committed to raising awareness of road safety and, in particular, for drivers to be mindful of pedestrians and vulnerable road users such as cyclists."
Comments
by davros_tyke
Tuesday, June 19 2012, 1:15PM
“The move would have been pratical at the planning stage, busses enter and leave the station via the same road, in the past they entered by one road and left by another. Whoever planned the building of st stephens and the bus interchange is the person or persons at fault. High paid idiot.”
by TheEmperor
Tuesday, June 05 2012, 11:06PM
“Three words. Stop, look, listen.”
by Tinkerbella
Tuesday, June 05 2012, 7:19PM
“If people actually learned to cross the road and use the numerous crossings properly, I'm sure there would be less accidents... Part of it is just absolute human stupidity”
by Pippin0490
Tuesday, June 05 2012, 1:06AM
“Mr. Harris must be possitivly barking!
Accidents happen here when pedestrians think don't need to wait to cross the road and decide to run in front of vehicles.
As far as cycling goes, there is a genrous cycle path on either side of Ferensway providing safe and easy cycling. Now Spring Bank - that can be a dangerous road to cycle on.
At the end of the day it comes down to commen sense and engaging one's brain. Every sinngle road on Ferensway and joining onto Ferensway have crossings. Red man means stop. Green man means go. The crossing time is generous as well. There is no need to not wait into the Green man is on. It's primary school level lessons!
The amount of pedestrians I have seen crossing when the red light is on and trying to dash across in front of vehicles causing them to slam their brakes on is rediculous!
I even witnessed one man walking in front of traffic clapping his hands above his head and refusing to move.
Also the amount of times I have arrived at the crossings across Ferensway and there has been a large amount of people waiting for the green man and the button hasn't even been pressed.
Are people really this incredibly stupid that they can't figure out how to cross a road? WITH the safest type of crossing?
It seems that young children know better road saftey skills than most adults do.
It's things like this that have made me lose faith in humanity!”
by EzEM8
Sunday, June 03 2012, 11:50AM
“The council should just make walk ways what go over the road and separate cycle lanes off the road then these accidents are less likely to happen.”
by Me_Best
Saturday, June 02 2012, 9:30PM
“Why do we need a shopping centre on one side of town anyway? Since building St. Stephen's there's been loads of people being knocked down 'cause they decide it's better to ignore the lights than use them, now traffic accidents and the main shopping part of the city centre is becoming a ghost town.”
by Neg_Dupree
Saturday, June 02 2012, 7:32PM
“This guy is an idiot, how do you part pedestrianise exactly?”
by be_cky
Saturday, June 02 2012, 7:23PM
“my comment re. the reference to Blundell's corner not submitted - WHY HDM?”
by Andy30104
Saturday, June 02 2012, 1:04AM
“Unless they knock a lot of buildings down and totally redesign the road layout, this will never happen. So I guess it'll never happen.”
by harryoffdock2
Saturday, June 02 2012, 12:07AM
“If there really was a need for another shopping centre it should have been built on Queens Gardens. Its central position would not draw shoppers from one side of the city centre killing off the other side in the process.”