LOOKS like that old adage “they won’t do anything till there’s an accident” has come true at the corner of South Terrace and Little Lefroy Lane.
Locals have banged on for years about how unsafe the corner is, with poor sightlines due to parked vehicles.
But it’s taken a spate of minor prangs and most recently a woman being knocked off her bike and suffering serious — and financially crippling — injuries to spur authorities into action.
The intersection had been slated for traffic-calming in a year’s time but Fremantle council has brought the works forward, in no small part due to a petition organised by injured cyclist Charlotte Ringer.
• Paramedics treat cyclist Charlotte Ringer at the South Terrace-Little Lefroy Lane intersection. Photo supplied | Gabrielle Fitzgerald
A $10,000 upgrade is expected to be “completed as a priority project in the coming weeks,” says infrastructure manager Phillip Adams. Temporary measures to improve pedestrian safety and driver visibility will include:
• a pedestrian crossing on South Terrace at the intersection;
• removal of the car bay, beside Little Lefroy’s Cafe, and installation of bike parking;
• bike parking at the southern side of the intersection to stop illegal car parking;
• kerb islands at South Terrace-Sydney Street intersection, so the stop line can move forward for better line of sight.
Dave Exham, owner of Little Lefroy’s Cafe welcomes the changes.
“We see two or three near misses a day, so I’m happy that something is being done about it,” he says.
“I think speed bumps either side of the intersection would have been another good measure.
“The loss of a parking bay outside our cafe won’t really affect us and pales in comparison to public safety.”
Ms Ringer suffered three spinal fractures after being belted by an SUV earlier this month (“Cyclist’s long road back,” Herald, April 9, 2016).
by STEPHEN POLLOCK
The sanctimonious tone of reporting FH employs always serves to gently undermine the core public interest story subject.
There is always this barely visible subtext.
Its as though the story, events, and outcome are collatetal to the primary purpose of underlining FH’s infallible opinion and uncannily sage predictions.
The council also needs to address exit from Di bella cafe. The car bay next to the right of exit makes it impossible to see on coming traffic as you pull out. This is really dangerous to!