Improvements planned for Prebbleton pedestrian crossing

Flashing belisha lights will be installed at the Springs Rd pedestrian crossing in Prebbleton, and shrubs will be removed.

The Selwyn District Council will also consider raising the crossing.

Prebbleton resident Lauren Stevenson has welcomed the improvements.

Stevenson said she had previously been on the pedestrian crossing with her pre-schooler and baby when a car failed to stop as it approached.

“The car missed my daughter’s buggy by inches,” she said.

She had undertaken a poll on a Prebbleton Facebook community group, and of 350 residents, 64 per cent had personally experienced a near miss at the crossing.

In one incident a boy had been hit by a car and was knocked to the ground.

“The fact we haven’t had a fatality on that crossing (in recent years) is nothing short of a miracle, based on the numbers,” she told district councillors at their meeting.

She was thrilled to learn after the meeting about the improvements the district council was going to make.

These included next month installing flashing lights, and removing shrubs which were up to more than 1m high and obscured children.

District council transportation asset delivery manager Mark Chamberlain said the council would also be happy to consider the suggestion of raising the crossing.

Funding would need to be agreed by the council and it would need acceptance from nearby residents.

Stevenson was happy about these moves, while she also accepted the district council’s position that a median island would not work at the crossing.

Chamberlain said the council had already investigated this and found there was limited space due to a nearby intersection.

Stevenson was one of three Prebbleton residents who brought their concerns about the crossing, as well as the Springs Rd/Hamptons Rd intersection, to the district council at its meeting last week.

Stevenson was accompanied by Adam Gard’ner and Chris White.

The intersection is set to be upgraded to a roundabout in 2024/2025 and it may have its speed limit reduced from 60km/h to 50km/h.

In addition, new speed signs with the name of the village are planned for the approach to Prebbleton.

Gard’ner said the district council needed to also increase the length of the 60km/h zone around the intersection.

However, Chamberlain said speed signs needed to be installed where roadside development warranted the lower speed limit.

“It would make little sense to have a 50km/h speed limit starting where there is open paddocks,” Chamberlain said.