I was going to put this in the Warham Residents, but I figured others who walk the Passage might want to comment
I'm talking about this one
I was discussing the narrowed crossing point with my neighbour Maggie and saying how, of all the crossing points going along the Passage, it is the one that makes me the most nervous. There is a large barrier in front of the crossing which I believe obscures the view of drivers and may prevent them from seeing smaller members of our community coming out of there (not to mention the parked cars up to the barrier). As a driver, she agreed this was the case and that she finds that this crossing point makes her very nervous.
The railing seems pointless, if its purpose is to discourage people from running across the road, as it doesn't cover the mouth of the Passage. There are no signs up warning of the possibility of children crossing, despite being the next street up from a school.
Add to that the fact that Warham Road is a rat run and cars tear up the road from the lights at speeds that would almost certainly kill a child.
I helped pick up a little boy knocked down there a few months back, it wasn't recorded because the carers decided to take him home and not call an ambulance.
You will also notice in the photos the inevitable dumping that space attracts.
So what to do? Let's design the problem out.
How about replacing the barrier and bollards with planters on either side, removing the railing which serves no purpose and dropping the kerb slightly to the left as in Pemberton Road/Mattison Road so that the way is blocked by a planter. We could get a Making the Difference Grant for the planters and get some input from highways to help move the kerb.
So what do people think?