By John Myers Jr. Staff ReporterTHE NATIONAL Road Safety Council (NRSC) has expressed concern about the safety of the high speed, dual carriage Old Harbour bypass in light of increased reports of pedestrians crossing the busy thoroughfare.
"To the extent that it is a problem if the authorities are unable to maintain the environment where it is free of pedestrians and if openings are made because we gather that there is a problem with the fencing ...that is where we are concerned," Paula Fletcher, executive director of the NRSC told The Gleaner.
She said pedestrians should not be allowed to cross the highway and, a way must be found to stop this from happening. As one of the 10-member panel of the Toll Authority, Ms. Fletcher said she will be raising the matter when they meet on October 8.
RESIDENTS
Under the Toll Road Act, the Toll Authority is responsible for, among other things, advising the Minister of Transport on matters of general policy relating to design, construction, safety regulation, operation and maintenance of toll roads.
The developers of the bypass have been complaining that residents from communities bordering the roadway have been destroying retention fences which were put in place to prevent people and animals from trespassing on the roadway.
Despite repeated warnings of the danger of being hit by speeding traffic, many still carry out the act.
The residents, in justifying their action, say they felt "penned in."
According to Christina Brown, a resident of the Gordon Wood community, it is convenient for them to cut holes in the fence and cross the road in order to easily access shops, on the other side of the road.
In the meantime, Ms. Fletcher said the NRSC had "no problem with the mileage - 110 kilometres per hour because it is recognised that the environment should be such that "if you have no conflict being caused by pedestrians and stray animals there should be no problem.
Kingsley Thomas, chairman of the National Road Operating and Constructing Company (NROCC) said the speed limit was within the ambits of international regulations for roads of a similar design.
