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A Hollywood actress today claimed lives were at risk from a "treacherous" central London pedestrian crossing.
Olivia Williams, 40, who starred in supernatural thriller The Sixth Sense, has started a petition to increase the length of time cars must stop at the junction of Marylebone Road and Enford Street. The mother-of-two uses the crossing to take her daughters to school.
She said: "People have a choice. Either they have to stand on the crowded central island for up to two minutes with children being edged closer and closer to traffic as the crowds become impatient for the lights to change, or start running at full pelt, trusting the concentration and generosity of rush-hour drivers not to run them over.
"Every morning I see people taking extraordinary risks with their own and their children's lives."
A Westminster council spokeswoman said: "We must balance the needs of traffic and pedestrians. In the past three years there have been no collisions involving pedestrians at this crossing."
Reader views (6)
About time Pedestrians were given priority over Cars and HGV's at every crossing and junction. Many years ago I in Paris, I witnessed 3 women in the road talking and Cars slowed and drove round them ! ( no honking and abusive comments from the drivers ) Good alternative transport is more than about more buses / trains its also about pedestrians being put first...and that includes freedom from mad cyclists who think they are a Law unto themselves.
- Clif, London
What we need is a city wide network of pedestrian only, elevated above traffic, walkways. These will connect to every door of every house and apartment building on the Home end and then to every business, school, etc on the Away end. In this way no one will ever have to walk alongside or cross dangerous vehicular traffic lanes.
Oh, and "pedestrian only" will include bicycles of course...
- Trunk, US
"they have to stand on the crowded central island for up to two minutes"
Two whole minutes? God it must be awful for you, especially as you have the time to actually take your children to school.
- Bob, Cheam
Balance the needs of traffic and pedestrians - well I am afraid it is always skewed in favour of traffic. There is another crossing in Cromwell Road where one has to be remarkably fit to get across the road, especially when cars drive into the intersection and then when the lights change and pedestrians can cross, if the traffic moves, they just drive on.
- Patricia, LONDON
Isn't this situation crying out for a lollipop lady?
Alternatively and cheaper, is it beyond the wit of man to make the lights automatically adjust their timing during a 15-minute window at the start and end of the school day? (Rather than being made a pain for motorists during the other 23 and a half hours)
- Nigel, London
So according to the Westminster Council Spokeswoman, no accidents in the last three years, that means she will wait until some child or parent gets killed (God forbid),this is a disgrace, I have only one thing to say to this stupid spokeswoman "DO SOMETHING YOU NUMPTY".
- David Crocket, Bradford , UK.
