Residents 'devastated' after tragic hit-and-run death

THE Nimbin community is in mourning after a fatal hit-and-run, with some locals saying the lack of safe footpaths has been an ongoing issue.

Flowers on Cecil St, Nimbin, where a pedestrian was fatally struck by a vehicle in an alleged hit-and-run incident overnight. Picture: Liana Turner

FLOWERS have been laid at the site of a fatal hit-and-run in Nimbin.

Residents of the village have been left shaken after the hit-and-run which killed a 62-year-old woman and left her partner, 63, in hospital.

Police are continuing to search for the driver of a car that struck the pair on Cecil St about 7.10pm last night.

Flowers marked the traffic island at the scene and other parts of the street this morning.

Resident Fiona McKenzie-Smith said from what she had observed, the community was "devastated" by the incident.

Ms McKenzie-Smith said she'd previously lodged formal complaints about a traffic island which it's understood Lismore City Council installed about six months ago.

She said she had expressed concerns the roadway -- flanked by drains -- was too narrow and had no safe footpath.

Cecil St is home to a preschool, sporting club and Nimbin's showground.

"When they 'fixed' it... they just made it more dangerous," Ms McKenzie-Smith said.

"The area that the people were traversing has no footpath."

She said cars were known to "speed up as they leave town" through Cecil St.

"It's a very dangerous zone, as was shown last night with the tragic accident and loss," she said.

"Cecil St is a major street within the village of Nimbin.

"For a long period of time we've been trying to get some type of pedestrian footway along Cecil St.

"Every morning, people traverse up and down to get to the preschool .... and it is dangerous."

Ms McKenzie-Smith said the Nimbin community was in pain over the incident.

"(We) definitely feel that we've lost a precious community member in a senseless accident that nobody has taken responsibility for," she said.

"I just believe that (the driver) should come forward.

"Their own conscience will trap them if they don't come forward.

"A lady lost her life simply walking up the road in rural Nimbin because of this person and they need to accept that responsibility."

Lismore City Council has been approached for comment.