I wonder if anyone else feels as I do, that we should give consideration to some form of pedestrian crossing over Perry Vale at the rear of Forest Hill Station? It is lovely to see the new businesses opening to join the others on this side of the road. Beulah Restaurant looks as though it is going to open on May 2nd. I find crossing Perry Vale from the subway somewhat precarious. I am sure that if there was a safer crossing, more people would use these businesses and the better off our community would be as well as preventing possible road accidents.

The road seems fine to me. I've been crossing it for several years now without incident. You just have to remember to look both ways. It's nice to drive on too. Last thing we want is yet more start /stop traffic on Perry Vale.

Yes, a crossing is definitely needed there, traffic is much too fast on that stretch of road to cross safely.

Why can't people cross a road without a crossing?

Because some of us are older and less nimble on our feet!

I couldn't agree more! I'm relatively new to the area and it was one of the first things I thought when using Forest Hill station. I'm perfectly capable of crossing the road, but the way the cars fly around the corner towards the station is crazy. I have struggled on many occasions trying to cross with my buggy.
What do we have to do to propose it- speak to the council?

My memory may well be playing tricks on me but my recollection is that there used be be a zebra crossing at the exit from the subway but when they built the Barratts development and re-did the road layout there was an active decision not to replace the crossing.

I can't remember the rationale but there were a number of threads on here about it.

I can't remember if it was there either but I think the rationale from the council in not puting one there is due to its location on a bend. The line of sight is poor and the risk of cars not noticing it was to high. Or something like that!

See earlier thread.

Or have prams, or are partially disabled.

The requirement for a pedestrian crossing here was identified in the FH Urban Design Framework (my favourite bedtime reading - thanks Michael) - this is not radical thinking.

A nice solution would be a bridge from the platform level that crosses the road and allowed you to enter/exit the station from the other side. No-one gets held up that way.

I also have this other crazy idea that the subway should be extended underground in the other direction so that it passes under the circular and emerges somewhere past the old-laundrette/new-pedder place as well as somewhere in front of the northbound platform. That would solve the bigger crossing issue nicely albeit perhaps a bit $$$.

The development should have included a pedestrian refuge in the road. But the road is now to narrow.

I use the bus to the front entrance!

There used to be a refuge (never a zebra crossing that I can remember) but, as Sherwood said, the road is now too narrow.

Another issue that needs to be addressed now the shops are open is illegal parking on the double-yellow lines. As a driver it is getting increasingly dangerous to negotiate that corner when you are forced on to the other side of the road by cars parked outside the shops.

Perhaps a humped crossing (not a zebra crossing) could be installed?)

But it's easier to cross the road when cars are parked illegally on the bend as the traffic often comes to a halt especially when a bus appears.....I look forward to those days.

Erekos, driving from FH with cars double parked or badly parked means there are NO site lines for drivers. I slow down as I am aware there may be pedestrians crossing, others may not give a damn.

This post was last modified: 01-05-2014 09:25 PM by Londondrz.

My point was that when enough large vehicles are present cars have to stop and you can nip between them.......works the same way when the south circ is chockers and the traffic tails back down Perry vale.

Seems to me the rationale of it having restricted viewing for car drivers is also applicable to pedestrians?
I use the superstore quite regularly and cars do appear quickly especially from Waldram road direction.
I am a driver and with proper signage see no reason not to have crossing even if frustrating when the buttons are pushed then crossing on chance leaving a red light for no reason.

The latest pelican crossings detect if pedestrians are still waiting,
and if they have just given up in disgust or are not animated enough,
then it cancels the request.

The problem, as I have said numerous times, with a crossing is a simple one, and has been mentioned over and over in the past discussions. Line of sight. Red lights, or a stripy road do not make it impossible for someone to be run over by a speeding car. If they don't see a person waiting or crossing, they are just as unlikely to see an obscured crossing either.

Maybe a narrowing of the road to prevent parking, a chicane, or other such obstruction to slow vehicles down and cause them to check right of way. In fact, a crossing zone between two chicanes would probably be the safest, providing a physical barrier between the pedestrians and vehicles.

I have to say in the 33 years of living in FH, I have never had much of a problem crossing in this area, usually on the apex of the corner by Finches and the cab office, giving a view both ways. But since the road was re-done I find the crossing point at the subway entrance fine also, with the straighter line of sight.