TRAFFIC measures put in place before the closure of a major route in Portsmouth are an accident waiting to happen, it is feared.
Lights that control the pelican crossing at the top of High Street, Cosham, have been covered up so cars coming out of Albert Road don’t turn right into oncoming traffic.
But people there say motorists approaching High Street from Wayte Street are not checking to see if people are crossing the road to get to the shopping precinct.
As part of the new one-way system – which has been temporarily put in place to help improve traffic flow before the closure of Northern Road Bridge – motorists have to get to shops via Wootton Street and Wayte Street.
As previously reported, the bridge is being demolished and rebuilt in stages from February 20.
Cosham Councillor Aiden Gray said: ‘An accident is waiting to happen.
‘Someone could end up getting hurt or killed if the lights aren’t brought back into use.
‘I heard that someone who was visually impaired needed a few people to help him across the road because they couldn’t negotiate the traffic.
‘The issue is the fact nothing has been done in Cosham for more than 40 years and now people are expected to change what they do straight away.’
Darren Brewer, 34, owner of Brewers Estate Agents, in High Street, said: ‘The one-way system is great and will work because it will improve traffic flow.
‘Though I haven’t seen it have any negative effect on my takings I’m unhappy because the lights have been turned off. I don’t think it’s right that shoppers and pedestrians have to cross a one-way street with no effective crossing.’
Project manager Ashley Chaplin said: ‘The original pelican crossing at the top of High Street was temporarily de-commissioned and changed to an uncontrolled crossing for two anticipated reasons.
‘It was to address the safety issue of vehicles which continue to illegally turn right out of Albert Road against the one-way system and also introduce an uncontrolled crossing to ensure that maximum possible capacity of both pedestrians and vehicles could flow through the area.’
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