RELATED STORY: Accident prone intersections
CONCERNS for patient safety on streets near Swan Hill Medical Group have led to plans for permanent measures.
Council’s Engineering and Planning departments have drafted a “concept” that would see a pedestrian crossing added outside the centre, which is at the corner of Splatt and McCrae Streets.
Swan Hill Rural City Council director of infrastructure David Leahy said council had looked into the matter at the request of the Swan Hill Medical Group management.
“There is no safe place for the elderly to cross the road and we’ve been fighting this battle with council for a long, long time…”
“Council’s Engineering Department has drafted a concept to incorporate a pedestrian crossing in the area for council’s consideration,” Mr Leahy said.
“This concept includes a loss of up to 10 carparks to accommodate the pedestrian crossing.”
The draft concept came after calls for measures to be put in place for people visiting the centre, many of whom are elderly, sick or injured. Currently there are no pedestrian crossings outside the centre.
“Patient’s lives are endangered, what with transports coming into the Coles loading bay,” Swan Hill Medical Group practice manager Gail Kenyon said.
“There is no safe place for the elderly to cross the road and we’ve been fighting this battle with council for a long, long time.”
Ms Kenyon said there was support from medical group staff for increased safety measures.
“[The issue] was raised again recently in a meeting with some of our GPs,” she said.
“It was raised by one of the doctors, who happened to be following an elderly person across the road and a big 4WD drive, who wasn’t driving dangerously, just about knocked her over.”
Swan Hill Police leading senior constable Nick Probyn said local police would welcome more safety measures in the area around the medical group.
“It’s a combination of maybe needing a pedestrian crossing, removing some of the carparking, and reducing the speed limit, not only around the schools but around the hospital there,” SLC Probyn said.
For the full story, pick up a copy of Monday’s Guardian (March 31).
