Wattle St dodgem cars to be consigned to history

The Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) is developing a proposal to improve pedestrian safety at the notorious intersection of Paramatta Rd and Wattle St at Broadway.

In coordination with the City of Sydney Council and Sydney Buses, the Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) has identified the intersection as a pedestrian danger zone. The move comes in the wake of years of complaints from pedestrians, UTS students and Ultimo residents.

In the five years to June 2012, there were 32 reported crashes at the intersection of Wattle St and Parramatta Rd, four of which involved pedestrians. Cars currently turn left from Parramatta Rd onto Wattle St without any traffic lights or pedestrian crossing.

“A range of safety improvement options have been considered including the possibility of closing the slip lane and RMS will be releasing a proposal for community consultation in the coming months,” said a RMS spokesperson.

“A final decision will not be made until the community has had an opportunity to consider and comment on any proposal.”

The City of Sydney is broadly supportive of the plan to improve the pedestrian intersection.

“We have raised concerns over pedestrian safety at the intersection of Broadway and Wattle St with RMS many times,” said a City of Sydney spokesperson.

“Late last month, RMS advised the City they have developed a proposal to improve pedestrian safety at the intersection. We are awaiting further details.

“The City will continue to work with RMS to ensure the city’s streets are safe.”

The new Central Park urban development across the road from the intersection is expected to increase pedestrian traffic in the area.

“The problems are only going to get worse as the Central Park project comes online, adding 2,000 apartments as well as offices and retail to an area where many people are already coming and going from Broadway shopping centre, UTS Sydney, Notre Dame University and TAFE Ultimo,” said a spokesperson for the City of Sydney.