The road leading to Parliament has been reconstructed and some new concepts of road designing have been incorporated. This is remarkable and commendable.
But some of the features incorporated go against the basic principles of safety management.
The point of entry from the pavement to the main road at the pedestrian crossing should be free of any obstacles or barriers.
A pedestrian should be able to walk without any hindrance upto the pedestrian crossing. At some pedestrian crossings, poles have been erected which form a continuance of the barriers along the pavements. These poles should be removed at the entry point of the pedestrian crossings.
The bus halting places are also barricaded similarly. If a passenger in a hurry is trapped and falls, it could lead to a fatality. Free ingress to the bus at the bus halt is essential. These poles should be removed at all the bays of the bus halting places.
Expensive walk ways have been constructed and where the walk ways open to the lanes similar barricades are found. These barricades are a warning to the pedestrian not to step beyond the barricades, but they also hinder walking.
Overgrown trees above the walkways of the approach road to Parliament are also a common sight. These walkways are attractive. Enormous expenditure would have been incurred in constructing these walk ways with colourful interlock paving concrete bricks.
But as a result of the overgrown trees, pedestrians tend to walk on the main road. The purpose of the walkways is lost if the pedestrian has to use the main road instead of the pavement. Those who use the walkways have to bend to avoid these overhanging branches.
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| A barricaded pedestrian crossing |
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| A barricaded bus stand |
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| A pedestrian bends to avoid the trees as he uses a walkway |
The writer is President, Ceylon Society for
Prevention of Accidents |
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