Shared-space junctions

Crikey! Did they give any further details?

Apparently, according to the BBC at 7am this morning, there have been three incidents since last Friday. I don't know where the 3rd was but it's totally unacceptable

My daughter-in-law was in the town when this had just happened on the other space, a chap with a guide dog was trying to cross road, hence he couldn't as the guide dogs for the blind are trained to stop at kerbs which there isn't so no they haven't thought all this through

Hi all. I am sure that money (not spending it, I mean) is at the root of the scheme. The Bishop St junction is vulnerable to mishaps simply because a bus turning left into Hales Street, the driver is confronted with a total blind spot, trying to see out of the front left corner of his bus. His line of vision is blocked by the entrance door framework, so he is relying on pedestrians seeing him turning. The off-centre cabs of the older rear exit buses gave the driver excellent vision, far superior to the modern buses that we have now. A temporary solution might be to have all buses using that junction to use the same route via the Belgrade, into the bus station or Trinity Street. Part of the problem is that buses are travelling in all directions, some turning and so on, so pedestrians have not a clue as to where they are going.

Would explain a lot Philip about the buses, also why couldn't they have placed some sort of safe crossing instead of what they have done. I think of the likes of mothers with children holding on to pushchairs, even Tricia I think it was said she had got clipped by one down by the Transport Museum, in the past I too have been clipped by one just standing on the pavement close to the kerb some years ago.

The snag with designated crossings for pedestrians is that, pedestrians will always take short-cuts no matter how many crossings were or are provided. I still think that a temporary solution is to simplify the bus routes in & out of the very central area. At least then, pedestrians will become accustomed to what is going where. Not always, but more often than not, traffic accidents occur at junctions, particularly with vehicles that are turning. Straightening the routes in & out of the very central area, I am sure will at least reduce the risk.

It IS a pedestrian area. The point of shared space is that vehicles are guests. I thing it's a good idea in the right place. I'm sure at junctions with buses and taxis hurtling across them it's a particularly good idea. It seems to be mainly used for quiet residential areas and shopping streets.

The definition of "pedestrianised" is to convert a street or an area for use by pedestrians only, by excluding motor vehicles. I was suggesting that the road surface might indicate to people that it was now a "traffic free" area. With (apparently) no signs to warn motorists that priority had changed (i.e. there wasn't any!) Given the high level of footfall and volume of traffic at this junction, I don't believe this is the right place. I suppose the accidents will always slow the flow of traffic down! Which I'm not sure this is.

I see there is a petition being now organised to be presented to the council for the removal of these junctions. Bob Brolly (on his C&W radio show) has just read out a letter he has received from Coventry Council saying that Coventry ". . . does not have any Shared Space junctions!" - what on earth do we have then?

Yes, I agree, I missed out a word in my post. I meant to say "I'm NOT sure at junctions with buses and taxis hurtling across them it's a particularly good idea" As you say, too much traffic and it's too busy. I don't even like the look of it. It seems to highlight how poor the townscape is down there, especially the blank frontage opposite Whitefriars, and the general jumble of clashing styles and strange gaps between buildings. I wonder if Coventry Council sometimes jump on the bandwagon of the latest idea they hear in the hope of actually finding something that works.

An elderly man has died in hospital after being hit by a bus in Coventry last month. The 71-year-old pedestrian was injured around 12:30 GMT on 10 January when he was struck on Hales Street. He was taken to hospital with serious injuries but died almost five weeks later on Sunday. He is not being named at this stage and West Midlands Police is appealing for anyone who witnessed the incident to contact them

From today's Coventry Telegraph - Calls for junctions to be axed

Now to be debated further by councillors

...and introduced! (it seems) BBC News

Here is the Telegraph's report on it today - comments, anyone???????