Lincoln road crossing 'will improve safety'
Campaigning residents say a new pedestrian crossing will make life better and reduce accidents on a busy Lincoln road.
After years of calling for safety improvements, a puffin crossing has now been built in Rookery Lane, near the junction with Newark Road.
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Judith Gower, front, leading residents, councillors and highways officers over the crossing
And locals, some of whose family members have been in accidents with motorists coming round the blind corner, are ecstatic.
Off licence sales assistant Sally Longstaff, 39, from De Wint Avenue, said: "I'm really pleased because I have to cross this road four times a day when I take my children to and from school," she said.
The new crossing has been built – and two nearby crossings upgraded – in response to the Boultham Moorland Community Travel Zone survey, in which it was residents' third-highest priority for the area.
Puffin crossings have sensors which can vary the length of crossing time according to the speed of the user – giving disabled or elderly people longer – or even cancel the request to cross if it detects there is nobody waiting anymore.
City councillor Keith Weaver, who lives in nearby Grainsby Close, said: "I know how many people use this crossing on a daily basis and I've know three children who live near me who have had accidents.
"I also know wheelchair users who are too terrified to cross this road.
"So, after the years of campaigning, I'm delighted that the county council has installed this crossing."
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by The Anti-socialist, Lincoln
Wednesday, February 03 2010, 6:11PM
“"There needs to be a change in the pecking order in urban areas - people first, then bicycles, then public transport, then working vehicles, and finally private transport."
No there does not. When are you going to get it through your thick socialist skull? Nobody's interested in your deranged ideas because they're, well, deranged.”
by eddie, scotland
Wednesday, February 03 2010, 4:43PM
“another bottle neck well done council”
by anon, uk
Wednesday, February 03 2010, 1:49PM
“Yet another crossing too close to a road junction. If you are turning left off the main road into Rookery Lane you don't have much visibility of what is round the bend. Presumably if you are turning right off the main road and across the main flow of traffic, then the lights will be phased so as you are not suddenly stopped in the middle of oncoming vehicles. Presumably the risk assessment did not see these issues as a problem.”
by Cameron Love, Lincoln
Wednesday, February 03 2010, 1:23PM
“When will the council do something about the crossing in the centre of town outside the Nationwide bank that crosses over to the church/station?
I know we have a tunnel there but the crossing itself is a nightmare with impatient pedestrians that believe they have a right to run across when they think its on Red when really not realising there are 2 sets of lights and while one is at red, the other lane is on green! Or that if cars on the inside turning down the high street are waiting cos of a train, it doesnt mean the straight on cars are waiting too!!!!
Everytime I drive along there, there is always someone trying to bounce themselves off some car bonnet cos they are impatient and dont wait for the green man like eveyone else!
I dont know the solution to it as its clearly a functioning crossing with adequate lights, and there is also the tunnel there too........ but something has to be done eventually as there will be a death sooner or later. Maybe we should consider Sharpshooters on the top of Nationwide building as a deterrent. That way it saves denting car bonnets and the end result will still be the same for the impatient pedestrian!”
by Richard, lincoln
Wednesday, February 03 2010, 11:07AM
“i can see an accident happening ther with cars jsut rushing through the red light when people are crossing the road just like how they go straight through the red light when you turn left out of rookery lane.
theres about 9 pairs of lgihts at this junction 10 when the new one is built. with a bit more planning they could nearly half the amount of lights there with it still being safe that is including the crossings being there”