Yesterday, four owners of businesses close to the pedestrian crossing spoke to the Otago Daily Times because they are not happy about a petition organised by Oamaru woman Lorraine Adams calling on Minister of Transport Gerry Brownlee to have lights installed.
The business owners do not believe lights are needed, that crashes could be reduced by lowering the speed limit on the approaches to the Thames Highway (also SH1) pedestrian crossing from 50kmh to at least 40kmh, and by motorists paying more attention.
The New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) is investigating options for the crossing, where there have been 20 crashes up to 30m either side of it in the past five years, including nine rear-end collisions when cars have stopped for pedestrians.
Business owners Brian Fraser, Tim Arthur, Ron Van der Hilsd and Andy Bolwell observe the crossing each day from their businesses. Squealing tyres are frequent as motorists brake when they have not seen other cars stopped.
On Good Friday, there were four separate nose-to-tail, non-injury crashes at the crossing, including one when an unmarked police car was rear-ended, Mr Fraser said.
Only two pedestrians had been hit on the crossing in the past five years, one suffering minor injuries, and Mr Van der Hilsd said one of those was someone who walked out without stopping and looking.
The business owners also opposed car parks being removed at the crossing, pointing out the small number of pedestrians being hit and that bulbous kerbs jutted out into the highway where people waiting to cross could be clearly seen.
A pedestrian crossing just north of the shopping centre on Thames Highway close to Harlech and Teviot Sts had the same problem with nose-to-tail crashes when motorists failed to stop.
Mr Arthur said shifting the crossing to another area of the shopping centre would not make a difference.
''In other parts of New Zealand when people see a pedestrian crossing they slow down. Here they seem to speed up,'' he said.
The business owners said many people did not use the crossing. They waited until the way was clear and used other sections of the road rather than trust motorists to see them on the crossing.
Three of the four business owners were annoyed with the petition and said they had not been asked what they thought. None of the four had the petition in their shops.
They want businesses to be involved with the NZTA review and its decisions.
