Published: Wednesday, 19th September, 2007 10:00
Death fears on busy road
By Colin Hutton
Print Article
Residents forced to dodge cars
Councillor Graeme Hendry with worried residents
RESIDENTS are “taking their lives in their hands” when crossing a busy road because a vital access route has been blocked.
This is the claim of the area’s councillor who believes that simple tasks such as going to the shops have been made almost impossible after a well-used route was shut off.
Dozens of residents — including several elderly people — living in Sandholm Terrace, Yoker, have been affected by a new housing development which has stopped their access onto Dyke Road.
This has left them having to deal with the “misery” of trying to cross Dumbarton Road at Blawarthill Street where there are currently no lights to aid them.
Resident Mary Walker, 55, told the Post: “My concerns are for anyone trying to get across the road, whether it’s pensioners or mothers with babies.
“You are literally dodging cars when trying to get across Dumbarton Road.
“It could be another six to eight months before the new flats are finished so it will be all that time before we can get out the easier route again.
“It’s causing a real nightmare for us all including both drivers and pedestrians — it’s hopeless.
“Even when the street reopens I would still say that we need some sort of measures at Blawarthill Street because it makes our lives a misery.”
Another resident David Smith — who suffers from arthritis and needs sticks for walking — is worried that the situation could end up with someone dying.
The 54-year-old said: “Rather than wait until someone gets killed we need to deal with it now before the houses are finished which will simply escalate the problem.
“It’s only going to get worse so we really need a pedestrian crossing as soon as possible.”
Concerned councillor Graeme Hendry has asked Glasgow City Council (GCC) to carry out a traffic census with a view to getting some sort of crossing put in place.
The Yoker representative told the Post: “I have every sympathy for the residents.
“Through no fault of their own the loss of access to Dyke Road has created great difficulties for people simply getting to the bus stop.
“I have requested a traffic census is carried out to see if we can get a pedestrian crossing installed.
“Dumbarton Road is very busy and it is not fair to expect people to take their life in their hands every time they want to go to the shops.
“We need to find a solution to this and I will continue to pressurise the council to find one.”
A spokeswoman for GCC said: “We can confirm that Councillor Hendry has requested that a traffic survey be compiled and that has been done.
“We are now compiling the figures and are analysing them to see if they meet the criteria for traffic lights to be installed.”
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