Weston residents are calling for stronger safety measures to help slow down vehicles on Fourth Street, following the closure of Bob Wells Bridge last Monday.
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The bridge was closed by council due to a deteriorating structural condition and will be refurbished over the coming weeks at a cost of more than $365,800.
But some residents have welcomed the temporary closure of the bridge over concerns of pedestrian safety.
The bridge is currently one of two bridges that provides vehicle access into the north-west residential area of Weston, with the second located on Kline Street, and is also a common route for students and parents traveling to and from Weston Public School.
In response to the story in last week’s Advertiser (Bridge closed for repairs, page 9), Fourth Street resident Peter Toward did a letter drop encouraging more locals to come forward with their concerns.
In a meeting on Thursday, neighbours Marie and Errol Walker and Freda Gilmour supported Mr. Toward’s call to put more pressure on council to slow down the drivers.
“It is just a dreadful situation,” Mrs. Walker said.
“Especially at 3pm when school children are walking home, the cars just don’t slow down.
“If we have visitors over, they think we live in a speedway.”
Mr. Toward said that it is just a matter of time before a child is killed by a speeding vehicle.
“The reason I started this whole thing is because of what I see happening every day from my veranda,” he said.
“The kids come across there and I have seen far too many close calls.
“I don’t want a child’s death on my conscience and either does council.”
Mr. Walker said that cars commonly use Fourth Street as a short cut and that residents have been petitioning council for speed humps for a few years now.
“Something has to be done,” he said.
“We have lived here for 60 years and enough is enough.
“We have asked for speed humps before but nothing has happened.”
Mr. Walker said that he doesn’t support the call to close Bob Wells Bridge permanently because of concerns over flooding, but that the issue of pedestrian safety and speeding drivers is one that council needs to take responsibility for.
Council held a community drop-in session on Friday, providing more information to the public about the works, detours and transport arrangements in place.