Monday 25 May 2015

Blackness Road/Ashbank Road - council commits to investigate safety concerns

Following recent safety concerns highlighted by residents of the Logie Estate and the Blackness Road area about the crossing of Blackness Road at the Ashbank Road junction, I have obtained an assurance from the City Council’s Head of Transportation that council traffic engineers will assess the area to see what pedestrian crossing improvements can be provided to improve the situation.

This is a long-standing issue that many residents rightly want addressed.   

The City Council’s Head of Transportation has advised me :

“We have undertaken pedestrian surveys at this location previously and the volume of pedestrians was significantly below the threshold that would trigger the provision of a traffic signal controlled crossing.      This is the case along much of the length of Blackness Road where we receive requests for assessment for provision of such facilities.  

However there are very few attractors or desire lines that cause there to be a concentration of demand.  

The traffic engineers are aware of this follow up request … and I have asked them to assess the vicinity to see if additional crossing facilities (non traffic signal) can be considered.”

It is important that pedestrian crossing safety is improved at this busy junction.    Personally, I think there is merit in investigating the viability of a lights-crossed facility but I welcome the assurance I have been given that traffic engineers will fully assess the area to see what improvements can be introduced.