Safety fears as buses slip on Victoria Square pavers
BUS drivers are warning of a safety hazard because of slippery pavers installed in Victoria Square, with one saying the surface was like “ice’’ after a recent near miss.
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BUS drivers are warning of a safety hazard due to slippery pavers installed in Victoria Square, with one saying the surface was like “ice’’ after a recent near miss.
Problems with grip on the imported Chinese pavers laid on the centre roadway of the square have already lead to a speed limit reduction from 50km/h to 25km/h and coating with an anti-slip treatment which the council admits is “deteriorating’’.
The same pavers were laid on Hindley street as part of a $4 million upgrading of the thoroughfare by Adelaide City Council and the same grip problem also lead a speed limit reduction and anti-skid treatment.
Video footage taken on a bus earlier this month in the square shows a driver struggling to halt his skidding bus as it approached the pedestrian crossing red light in the rain at slow speed.
After the bus came to a stop just short of stationary traffic the driver can be heard on CCTV audio saying the road “is like driving on ice’’.
The footage was obtained by Opposition transport spokesman Corey Wingard, who also received an email explaining several complaints have been made by drivers to the Transport Department about the pavers at the stretch of road know as Reconciliation Plaza.
He said the driving conditions on the pavers will only worsen with the increase in wet weather over coming months.
“This poses a risk to bus passengers and drivers, other vehicles and pedestrians,’’ Mr Wingard said.
“I shudder to think what would happen to pedestrians if they were hit by a bus slipping across the pavers.’’
Mr Wingard said the surface must be immediately upgraded and said the State Government should have already acted on the warnings provided to the department.
“There is a great risk here with the volume of car and foot traffic and number of buses using this road,’’ Mr Wingard said.
“Given there have been warnings and still the government hasn’t taken action its very concerning.’’
The council said the “performance of the granite pavers’’ on Reconciliation Plaza was “being actively monitored.
“While the skid resistance of the pavers has deteriorated since installation, the evaluation of performance indicates that this has plateaued to a level which may be suitable for the reduced speed environment of 25km/h over the longer term in line with the endorsed Victoria Square master plan,’’ a council spokeswomen said.
A Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure spokeswoman said Adelaide City Council is responsible for the management and maintenance of the road at Reconciliation Plaza and DPTI has raised the issues with ACC.