A Mosgiel retiree who puts his ‘‘life in danger’’ traversing his suburban road is calling for the city council to install much-needed pedestrian crossings. Charlie Gilligan said he and his wife, both in their 80s, had lived in Factory Rd for eight years and were concerned by the speed and volume of traffic travelling past their home. ‘‘I put my life in danger when I cross the road because there’s no legal crossing [on] which I have the right of way,’’ he said. Barring one set of traffic lights, there were no pedestrian crossings in the 5.3km stretch of Bush Rd/Factory Rd between Riccarton Rd and Puddle Alley, more than half of which ran through residential areas. The two courtesy crossings on the road were ‘‘terrible’’ and Mr Gilligan questioned their suitability for low-vision people. He was managing poor vision due to macular degeneration and listened for oncoming cars — ‘‘I take my life in my hands if I cross the road’’. Mosgiel resident Charlie Gilligan is calling for the city council to install pedestrian crossings in Factory and Bush Rds. PHOTO: PETER MCINTOSH Mosgiel was a growing community which made an increasingly large contribution to the Dunedin City Council’s rates take — this should be reflected in infrastructure spending, he said. Safe pedestrian crossings and traffic calming measures had clear benefits for elderly residents and those with limited vision, school children and everyone in between, he said. He said he had submitted a petition with 71 signatures that supported the installation of crossings to the council last year. A council spokesman acknowledged Mr Gilligan’s concerns about a lack of safe crossings. He said any new capital investment, including crossings, was considered through the council’s 10-year plan process. The work was part of the Mosgiel Transport Plan, which informed projects proposed for next year’s Regional Land Transport Plan and government co-funding. The Mosgiel-Taieri Community Board was being kept informed throughout the process, he said. In March, the Otago Daily Times reported informal pedestrian crossings and markings were being painted in Mosgiel’s Murray St, in an apparent attempt to calm traffic in the area. ruby.shaw@odt.co.nz
