NEWS
Pedestrians in the new Chinatown Mall are still at risk of being hit by cars being illegally driven through it, despite concerns raised by The Independent last issue.
This paper and local councillor David Hinchliffe both reported numerous cases of drivers leaving the Mall carpark and instead of driving down to Wickham Street they are making a sharp right turn and driving up under the grand arch, the mall’s centre piece, and exiting onto Ann Street, simply to save themselves a few minutes’ drive.
After that report, temporary bollards were placed as a barrier to prevent this dangerous practice, but as this edition of The Independent went to press, they had been removed.
Cr Hinchliffe (pictured above when the bollards were in place) said he had written to Councillor Jane Prentice whose responsibilities cover the mall to ask if these temporary bollards would become a permanent fixture.
He wrote: “These bollards were no doubt put up to stop the cavalcade of vehicles tearing up and down the mall on occasions causing pedestrians to run for safety.
“Will you please advise if they are to be made permanent? If so, when please? This is a basic element of the mall design”.
“Motorists continue to enter Chinatown through the exit driveway rather than the entrance driveway. This never used to happen. How and when will this please be addressed?”
