Members Statement - Dendy Street Pedestrian Safety

DENDY STREET PEDESTRIAN SAFETY

Thursday, 3 September 2020

Mr NEWBURY (Brighton):

With two primary schools nearby, St Joan of Arc School and Brighton Beach Primary School, the pedestrian railway crossing at the Dendy Street and New Street roundabout in Brighton needs an urgent upgrade.

Currently, there are no barriers to stop pedestrians from walking onto the tracks.

Year 5 and 6 students from St Joan of Arc primary recently wrote to me to share their concerns about the lack of safety at the crossing.

Grade 5 student Oliver wrote to me: ‘It is so unsafe I’ve even nearly been hit … I’ve seen some very close calls’.

Audrey wrote: ‘I get really afraid that my little brother will forget what to do and will run across without thinking’.

Ella wrote: ‘Every time a person crosses, it is a fatal accident waiting to happen!’.

I call on the State Government to urgently commit to funding this long overdue improvement to local safety.

Young Carlo said it best when he wrote: ‘The cost of a gate is nowhere as much as the cost of a human life’.