This City Of Sydney safety audit includes all publicly accessible spaces in Glebe and Forest Lodge.  The Glebe Society asked its members to provide their views on priority safety issues and locations, to inform our response.  Members’ views can be seen in the comment boxes below.   

Allan Hogan and Diane Hutchinson represented The Glebe Society at the first safety audit stakeholders’ meeting on 7 August.  We presented the following list of priority issues and locations and, in the wide ranging discussion among stakeholders, we also raised some of the other issues and locations which members logged.

We will use this page to update you on the progress of the audit.  If you have any questions, please email Diane Hutchinson on vicepresident@glebesociety.org.au

 

The Glebe Society:  Priority Issues and Locations for CoS Safety Audit

Issues

1) Shared paths:  18 members expressed concerns about dangers associated with paths shared by cyclists and pedestrians.  A common complaint was that many cyclists travel well in excess of the 10kph limit, especially during peak traffic hours.  Cyclists infrequently ring their bell when approaching pedestrians from behind, posing a serious danger for all users, but especially for seniors, and/or those exercising their pets.  In darkness, poor lighting of the shared paths makes cyclists hard to see. Many public lights are above tree canopies shedding vast shadows leaving pedestrians less safe.  The use of motorised bikes and scooters is increasing, and so too is the speed at which they travel.

2) Footpaths:   16 members logged concerns about safety issues with footpaths. Some members gave multiple sources of footpath safety risk and/or locations.  These included:

  • cyclists illegally using footpaths and obstructions (eg. café chairs and off-leash dogs), which make footpaths difficult to negotiate safely
  • uneven pavements due to tree roots and wooden strips around grass verges (some compounded by poor lighting), which pose a serious trip hazard
  • celtis seeds (Minogue Cres and Wigram Rd) pose a serious slip hazard
  • footpath construction means pathways are inaccessible to those with limited mobility, in particular Ross Street and Cook Street
  • a lack of appropriate rails, bannisters or handles on slopes, stairs and steps, mean access is impossible for some.

3)  Pedestrian Crossings: 8 members expressed concerns about dangerous pedestrian crossings, including:

  • the two crossings at the intersection of Wigram Road and Glebe Point Road lead to confusion for drivers of vehicles making turns into and out of Wigram Road, especially when they are looking into the sun. Busloads of tourists around The Haven have worsened the congestion and confusion.  
  • the pedestrian crossing over Bridge Road near Woolley Street is dangerous, and there has been at least one near miss involving a child at the day care centre at the Abbey. It is close to the bottom of a dip, and cars tend to speed in both directions.

Some members’ concerns about traffic were also ultimately about the safety implications for pedestrians in crossing roadways (eg. traffic exiting blind onto the St John’s Road footpath from Jarocin Ave).

Locations: 

1) The Foreshore Walk and Parks:  These are the locations where cyclists using the shared paths present the greatest danger.  The Foreshore Walkway, the Allan Truss Bridge and the central pathway in Jubilee Park are particularly dangerous.

2) Glebe Public School:

  • The pedestrian crossing on Glebe Point Road outside Glebe Pubic School is hazardous for pedestrians on Saturdays when they cross in a disorderly fashion when leaving the Glebe Markets.
  • Commercial tour buses parking adjacent to Glebe Public School on Derwent Street impede parents from picking up children in their cars after school. Drivers stop in the street because they are prevented from parking by the kerb and create a hazard for other traffic.

3) Ross Street:  This street is a busy pedestrian thoroughfare but presents many hazards, most especially:

  • 11-13 Ross Street. The variable but steep slopes to the gutter make this section of footpath impassable for many.
  • Ross St from Bridge Road to Charles St, west side. Two sets of signs each with dual poles intrude well into the pathway in front of the school. Many pedestrians can walk between the poles, but those with prams or on mobility scooters or bicycles are obstructed.