The Ponds crash: Safety upgrades fast-tracked for deadly road
Safety upgrades have been approved for a notorious road where two pedestrians have died since 2018.
Rouse Hill
Don't miss out on the headlines from Rouse Hill. Followed categories will be added to My News.
- Coronavirus: Blacktown Meals on Wheels delivers toilet paper to the elderly
- Parklea prison officer allegedly had intimate relationship with inmate
Safety upgrades will be fast-tracked at The Ponds’ deadliest road, where two pedestrians have been hit and killed in recent years.
A guard rail will be installed on the notorious stretch of Stanhope Pkwy between Warbler St and a bus stop where an elderly man was tragically killed last year.
Progress on safety improvements comes almost a year to the day since a 72-year-old was hit by a car while waiting for his wife at the bus stop across near Owl Park on March 29, 2019.
An out-of-control car allegedly mounted the gutter, crashed into a pole and then hit the man, who died in hospital a week later.
In July 2018, a 65-year-old Stanhope Gardens man was killed after being hit by a car while crossing the busy thoroughfare near Majestic Dr, less than a kilometre away from the 2019 crash site. His partner was also struck and badly injured.
Blacktown Council’s Local Traffic Committee voted unanimously this month to install a 30-metre metal barrier at the site as part of a proposal to boost pedestrian safety.
The proposal was subsequently endorsed by councillors at a general meeting last Wednesday.
Cr Chris Quilkey moved a recommendation at the meeting to fast-track the upgrades, which were previously not listed in the council’s Works Improvement Program for 2021.
“When I was going through the Works Improvement Program for 2021, I saw one item for a bus shelter similar to this, but this one was not on it,” he said.
“So if we don’t get the funding now, it will wait 18 months until the next Works Improvement Program.
“This is very important in this instance because this (upgrade) arises from a fatality.
“It’s very, very important we fix the problem now and we don’t just give it a tick and wait and see that it gets done in 18 months’ time.”
According to a committee report, the guard rail is expected to reduce the risk of cars running off the road.
“The road has a slight bend to the right just past Warbler St. This has the potential to catch an unaware driver in a run-off–road situation,” the report read.
“This proposal provides a barrier along the kerb line between Warbler St and the pedestrian refuge to stop vehicles from getting over the kerb and being unable to come under control before the pedestrian refuge and bus stop.”
Following the July 2018 fatality, the council installed additional give way signs at the roundabouts at Majestic Dr and at Perfection Ave and reinstalled other missing give way signs.