Pedestrian killed on Galston Road during morning traffic

A MAN was killed in Sydney’s north this morning when he was struck by a car was collecting the bins for his elderly parents. He had lived there for several years helping to care for his mother.

Robert Townshend, 51, was struck and killed by a car that lost control on Galston Road.

A 51-year-old man who died after he was struck by a car at a known ‘trouble spot’ in Hornsby Heights was collecting the bins for his elderly parents.

Robert Townshend had lived at his parents’ home on Galston Rd caring for his elderly mother for several years.

He was struck just before 7am at the end of his driveway when a male driver, also 51, lost control of his car wet weather this morning.

Crash investigators at the scene of the crash.

Mr Townshend was known in the community as an advocate for foreign aid and passionate about human rights issues.

NSW Police said nearby officers who were in attendance for an unrelated matter, rushed to Mr Townshend’s aid and attempted to push the car off him and revive him.

Neighbours reported hearing the sound of bins being knocked over at about the same time, but were unaware anyone had been struck during the morning peak near the entrance to Galston Gorge in Sydney’s northwest.

The driver of the hatch was taken to Hornsby Hospital. Source: Twitter @9NewsSydney

Hornsby Heights resident, Alan Hancock, said he was woken by the sound of bins being knocked over.

“There was no sound of screeching tyres or any other sounds after that, we didn’t even realise what had happened,” Mr Hancock said.

“There was nothing else that raised the alarm to us, until the police arrived and the road was being blocked off.

“This stretch of road is a real problem in the community, there are always incidents happening in the same location — and nothing is being done to prevent them.”

“We haven’t seen anyone in the home in years,” Mr Hancock said.

“But this is just horrible, we know the family they are always friendly and say hello.”

A map showing Galston Gorge Rd at Hornsby Heights.

Another neighbour who did not wish to be named said she was also woken by the sound of bins being knocked over.

“I used to live even closer to the family and I am so sorry for their loss,” the neighbour said.

“He has an elderly mother that I am very concerned about now.

“Something must change on this road, every time it rains we have an incident.”

There have been several reported accidents along the same stretch of road this year.

NSW Police from the Metropolitan Crash Investigation Unit continue to conduct inquiries into the incident, however officers at the scene suggested wet weather was a factor.

The 51-year-old driver of the car was taken to Hornsby Hospital for mandatory blood and urine testing.

Mr Townshend is the 208th person to die on NSW roads this year — 44 more than the same time last year.

Since Friday, police have been called to six deaths as a result of crashes:

■ 5pm Friday: a 66-year-old man crashed his motorbike into a power pole at Clybucca, in the state’s north.

■ About 5.30pm, a 75-year-old man crashed into the guardrail on the Pacific Highway at Tea Gardens. He died a short time later

■ At 12am on Saturday, a 31-year-old female passenger was killed after the car she was a passenger in crashed at Tabulam, in the state’s far north east. five other people were injured in the crash.

■ At 12:30am, a 27-year-old man crashed his vehicle into a pole at Griffith. He died at the scene.

■ At 9:30pm on Sunday, a 28-year-old driver and his 26-year-old front seat passenger died when their vehicle crashed into a pole at Tomago in the Hunter Region.

Police have urged drivers to go slow and drive to conditions in the wet and believe a combination of fatigue and wet weather are to blame for the spate of crashes.

■ So far this year, there have been 131 deaths on rural roads and 75 on metropolitan roads, a NSW Police Force spokesman said.

■ Of those, 155 were male and 51 were female. They included 105 drivers, 30 motorcyclists, 28 passengers, two cyclists and 41 pedestrians.