Lack of traffic mirror at Rectory Hill ‘accident waiting to happen’
THERE is an accident waiting to happen unless a traffic mirror is installed by the exit of Rue des Traversains onto Rectory Hill, a nearby resident has said.
Kevin Gaudion has submitted a request to Traffic & Highway Services, saying that it is almost impossible to see traffic coming down from Rectory Hill when exiting the junction from Rue des Traversains.
‘It’s a terrible exit. Even when you’re right on the yellow line, you can’t see anything to the right. It’s an accident waiting to happen,’ he said.
Mr Gaudion thought a mirror installation would not be a great deal of trouble for the States, because it would be installed on the same land as the States houses on Rectory Hill.
Through his job as a taxi driver, Mr Gaudion has become aware of a number of road exits on the island that he thought were difficult to get out of, but was particularly concerned about this one, because he lives nearby.
‘You have to creep out onto the road, which is dangerous because of the amount of cars that use Rectory Hill,’ he said.
Mr Gaudion posted his request to Traffic & Highway Services on Facebook group ‘Guernsey People Have Your Say’, and said that he had received some positive feedback.
‘It would benefit cyclists and pedestrians as well as motorists, and I think it would make everybody feel that bit safer,’ he said.
Roads & traffic management manager Phil Ogier said that Traffic & Highways was considering Mr Gaudion’s request.
Residents living near Rectory Hill agreed that the installation of a mirror would be a good idea.
Lucy Smale, who lives near Rectory Hill, said that she had to nudge her car over the yellow line in order to see oncoming traffic, so did not see why a mirror could not be installed.
Sarah Costa, who also lives nearby, said that she would welcome any move to make Rectory Hill safer.
‘My cat was hit and killed. Cars come down it too quickly.
‘It’s dangerous, especially for children and the elderly,’ she said.
Resident Remi Fallaize said that, while she agreed with the idea, she thought that any mirror that was installed would get vandalised.
‘About 12 or 13 years ago a mirror got put up in a similar place and some kids smashed and broke it.
‘It would probably happen again,’ she said.
