Stanhope Gardens: Residents call for changes after pedestrian death
RESIDENTS SAY they will ask council to make changes to a notorious roundabout in Sydney’s northwest after a pedestrian was killed and another was rushed to hospital with serious injuries on Monday morning.
Rouse Hill
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RESIDENTS SAY they will ask council to make changes to a notorious roundabout in Stanhope Gardens after a pedestrian was killed and another was rushed to hospital with serious injuries on Monday morning.
A 19-year-old man driving a Toyota hit two pedestrians after reportedly exiting a roundabout on Stanhope Parkway, near Majestic Dr, just before 6.30am yesterday.
Both pedestrians were taken to Westmead Hospital where a 65-year-old man died and a 55-year-old woman was treated for serious leg injuries.
The woman was in a stable condition today.
The window screen of the Toyota was smashed — believed to be the result of hitting one of the pedestrians.
The 19-year-old driver was taken to Blacktown Hospital for mandatory testing and the crash is being investigated by the Crash Investigation Unit.
Resident Krista Anderson lives next to the roundabout and said it was notorious for crashes and near misses.
“It has been getting worse and worse,” she said.
“We would have nearly one a week either a crash or a near miss.
“We have been out (at the roundabout) a few times to see if everyone is okay after hearing a bang.”
Ms Anderson said it was still dark when the incident happened on Monday and she came outside after hearing the emergency services arriving.
She said her and her housemates were planning on contacting council to recommend some changes.
She said lowering the speed limit from 60km/h to 50km/h could help, along Stanhope Parkway, as well as increasing the size of the island at the middle of the roundabout.
She said drivers were able speed through the roundabout because the island was quite small.
Another nearby resident Val Whitmore said the developments in Stanhope Gardens and nearby Schofields and Quakers Hill had attracted more traffic along Stanhope Parkway — which was a main artery through the suburb.
She has lived at her home for 40 years and has witnessed the traffic getting busier and busier.
“We never thought it would be like this when we bought.”
Mrs Whitmore said other locals had mentioned the two pedestrians often used a bus stop near the roundabout, and may have been crossing the road to use that stop.
She said changes to the roundabout would be welcome from council.
The pedestrian fatality brings the number of pedestrian deaths in NSW up to 40 this year.