Ashfield fatal pedestrian collision: 87-year-old grandfather killed, safety upgrades prioritised

Safety upgrades will be prioritised for a dangerous pedestrian crossing in Sydney’s inner west following the tragic death of an 87-year-old grandfather.

Safety upgrades will be prioritised for a dangerous pedestrian crossing in Sydney’s inner west following the tragic death of an 87-year-old grandfather.

A Transport for NSW spokesman confirmed to the Inner West Courier improvements to the signage and lines of the Frederick St pedestrian crossing at Ashfield would be prioritised, following the deadly incident last month.

An initial review of the crossing had been completed with the safety upgrades to improve the warning given to motorists about the pedestrian crossing.

“In addition to these measures, we will be undertaking a further investigation to assess the feasibility of other options, including traffic lights,” the spokesman said.

Flowers left at the crossing on the intersection of Frederick St and John St after an 87-year-old man was hit and killed. Picture: Alexi Demetriadi

Nancy Yang, left a message on a Change.org petition to install lights on the Frederick St and John St crossing, and paid tribute to her grandfather ‘Arthur’ who died following a collision on the same crossing on March 13.

“I’m the granddaughter of the man, Arthur, who was tragically killed at this crossing,” Ms Yang wrote.

“He was a wonderful and caring man who I will continue to miss for the rest of my life.

“It is extremely upsetting to know that there were many other incidents (including at least 30 crashes that resulted in serious injury or death between 2015-2016) that took place here, yet nothing has been done about it.

“I am signing because I do not want anyone else to lose their loved ones in another senseless and completely avoidable accident. Everyone in the community deserves to be safe.”

The driver of the vehicle – a 48-year-old woman from Picnic Point – has since been charged with dangerous and negligent driving, and not giving way to a pedestrian crossing. She will appear in court next month.

The petition which Ms Yang signed has received more than 1700 signatures, with founder Max Phillips penning an open letter to NSW Roads Minister Natalie Ward to see the danger for herself.

‘Come down here’: Community’s fury over deadly intersection

– March 30, 2022

Ashfield residents have said enough is enough after an 87-year-old man was fatally hit at a notoriously dangerous crossing on the intersection of Frederick St and John St on March 13.

About 50 concerned residents converged only metres away from the fatal collision site to meet with local representatives to air their dismay and call for immediate action.

Residents called on Roads Minister Natalie Ward to come and see the crossing for herself. Picture: Alexi Demetriadi

State MPs for the two neighbouring electorates which surround Frederick St – Jason Yat-sen Li of Strathfield and Jo Haylen of Summer Hill – organised the meeting, with the former leading discussions about how to ensure another tragedy doesn’t happen again.

“Very tragically there’s been a fatality here, and it was a preventable fatality,” Mr Yat-sen Li said.

“Residents have been jumping up and down about this particular intersection for some 30 years about how dangerous it is.

“They really have had enough, and they want something done about it.”

Jo Haylen, state member for Summer Hill, at the gathering of concerned Ashfield residents. Picture: Alexi Demetriadi

Ms Haylen and Mr Yat-sen Li sent a letter to Burwood police expressing the need for safety measures as a matter of urgency.

Ms Haylen said to the audience that “there’s been messages for years about this crossing and road; we can’t lose another member of the community again”.

The Inner West Courier previously described the intersection as a “notorious inner west black spot” following about 30 injuries to pedestrians on the crossing between 2015-16.

Around 50 locals met at J.G McCartney Playground, metres away from where a man was fatally hit two weeks ago, to air concerns. Picture: Alexi Demetriadi

Residents at the meeting aired their own horror stories on the crossing.

Mark Drury, an Ashfield ward councillor on the Inner West Council, said he had been knocked down by cars before on the road. One resident said they avoid the crossing all together, while another noted their panic every time they walked across it, terrified her young children may run ahead and get hit.

The road – a 60km-limit street with single lanes – is a main thoroughfare and is heavy with pedestrians, especially families.

During the meeting, a car who didn’t spot the crossing sped through, its horn blaring.

“We teach our children to cross at pedestrian crossings, because they’re meant to be the safest place to cross the road,” Max Phillips, a resident who started a recent petition to get traffic lights on the crossing, said.

“I don’t know what it is – the lighting and signage, or the intersection – but there’s something very wrong with this crossing.”

Max Phillips with his daughter. Mr Phillips started a petition to install lights on the crossing. Picture: Alexi Demetriadi

Mr Phillips’ petition on Change.org to get traffic lights installed has almost over 1,700 signatures.

“A kid was hit here in 2017 and nothing has been done – we don’t want cosmetic changes,” Mr Phillips said.

“Pedestrians must come first, not the traffic.”

There were also calls for NSW Roads Minister Natalie Ward to come down to the crossing and see the danger first hand.

“We’re calling on Natalie Ward to come down here and see how dangerous this crossing and intersection is,” Mr Yat-sen Li said.

“It takes two minutes to see how dangerous it is and we want her to come down here and see it with her own eyes.”

It doesn’t need to break the budget, either.

A Google Map screenshot of Frederick St and the surrounding area. The crossing is on the intersection with the labelled John St.

“Whether it’s traffic lights, a roundabout – an immediate solution for the crossing itself doesn’t need to be an expensive fix,” Mr Yat-sen Li said.

“This is now a major road and it’s now up to the state government to ensure that pedestrians are safe.”

Transport for NSW expressed their sadness and dismay about the fatality, and that it is currently assessing the safety measures at the location and will provide advice on whether further improvements are required.

Natalie Ward was contacted for comment, but at the time of publication had not responded.