Ryde Mayor calls for pedestrian crossing at Meadowbank

Ryde Mayor Jerome Laxale is calling on the State Government to intervene to install a pedestrian crossing near the newly opened skate park at Meadowbank.

Jerome Laxale at Constitution Rd West in Meadowbank where he wants a marked pedestrian crossing.

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Ryde Mayor Jerome Laxale is calling on the State Government to intervene to install a pedestrian crossing near the newly opened skate park at Meadowbank.

The council resolved in August to look into upgrading the existing traffic refuge island on Constitution Rd West near Federal Ave to a marked pedestrian crossing once the skate park opened.

However, the number of pedestrians crossing and vehicles passing the site were too low to meet the RMS approval guidelines for a zebra crossing.

The council recorded the pedestrian and car counts in August last year, before the skate park had opened.

Zia Cole, 11, at the skate park. Picture: Mark Scott

Cr Laxale has written to Transport and Roads Minister Andrew Constance asking him to overrule the need for the RMS criteria and provide the crossing.

Ryde Mayor Jerome Laxale said the council wanted to be proactive and avert accidents by installing a pedestrian crossing to replace the refuge.

“I don’t want to risk an accident and an easy way to fix that is to put a crossing there,’’ he said.

“I was crossing there over the weekend and it needs it now.

“Cars come quite fast through there. I’ve been down there a couple of times during the school holidays.”

Edwin England at the official opening of the skate park, which is drawing more pedestrians. Picture: Mark Scott

Cr Laxale said there was between 80 and 300 people there up to 9pm.

“There’s just a constant arrival of people of all ages from scooters to 10 to 12-year-olds and adults,” he said.

“Why wait three-four months to do this? We are asking for common sense to prevail.”

Cr Laxale said without Mr Constance’s intervention, securing the necessary approvals for the crossing would likely take months.

Mr Constance was overseas and unavailable for comment.

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An RMS spokeswoman said the pedestrian crossing was ultimately a decision for Ryde Council because it controlled the road.

“In order to warrant the installation of a zebra (painted) pedestrian crossing, a minimum of 30 pedestrians per hour must be crossing the road or a minimum of 500 vehicles per hour must be driving through the proposed location for three one hour periods during the day,’’ the spokeswoman said.