No parking solution set to make crossing safer

Chris Bakker attempts to negotiate Ferry Rd. Photo: Geoff Sloan

No stopping restrictions are set to come into force close to a Christchurch median pedestrian crossing.

A safety issue with the Ferry Rd crossing, opposite Woolworths Ferrymead, was brought to the attention of the Waihoro Spreydon-Cashmere-Heathcote Community Board.

The board was told there were problems crossing Ferry Rd because the view was often blocked by parked vehicles.

When

Bay Harbour News

visited the site, Redcliffs resident Chris Bakker was using the crossing. He supported the move to put in no stopping lines, saying “it’s necessary” to make it safer.

The board had recommended losing six car parks on the southern side of the road.

Photo: Geoff Sloan

But a backlash from businesses has seen that cut back to three. Bakker said it was good to get rid of a few car parks but not all of them.

The parked vehicles also cause issues for motorists as they often cannot see the waiting pedestrians.

City council traffic engineer Nick Reid looked at various solutions to the issue, including no stopping lines and a kerb buildout.

“We recommended the community board take a hybrid approach where we provide 60% of the crossing sight distance we need under our standards, while retaining three of the six parks,” said Reid.

Three P30 parks will also be added to address businesses’ concerns about parking turnover.

Reid said the plan was for the no stopping restrictions to be implemented in the next two months.

The Crafty Weka Bar owner David Dunn (below) also had concerns about the crossing.

“People heading back to their office can get out 100m down the road, they can get some fitness,” said Dunn.

People often assumed the median is a pedestrian crossing, which has led to quite a few near misses, Dunn said.