Calls for new pedestrian crossing following several 'near misses' between buses and people

The calls have been made in the interest of safety for residents getting over a stretch of road in Orton Goldhay behind Starbucks and close to the Bushfield Leisure Centre and Ormiston Bushfield Academy.

The road, known as Busway, also has a large number of sheltered accommodation apartments nearby and the footpath leading up to it, which links Orton Northgate and Southgate, is used by a large number of schoolchildren each day.

Orton Waterville ward councillor Kirsty Knight has raised a number of safety concerns in the area and has begun work on getting a pedestrian crossing installed ‘before somebody loses their life.’

Councillor Knight said: “Where the crossing is, there are two blocks of sheltered accommodation flats. There are a lot of elderly people that use that crossing to get the garage to reach the shop.

“We had an incident five weeks ago where a lady was almost run over by a bus. Luckily, there was somebody nearby to step in and help her but the speed of the buses and cars that go down there is too much.

“Most parents go down there to drop their children off, do a really quick u-turn and then rush away again. The traffic there between 8-9 in the morning is horrific and again between 3-4.

“You also have motorbikes and the road is very close to where a crash happened and a rider had to be airlifted to hospital in 2020. You can see where the incidents will happen at the junction. It is a blind corner and often drivers think it’s just a straight through bus route.

“We saw lots of near misses with children last year. It’s also the main route between Orton Northgate and Southgate for children going to school. It’s a high traffic “area. You also have residents using it, some with pushchairs and going shopping in the Orton Centre.

“It is getting busier and busier. We need to take action to get something done now before somebody is killed.”

Peterborough City Council has been contacted for comment.