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Island retreat should make life easier for pedestrians
TAKING REFUGE: The new pedestrian island in Union Mills. PHOTO: Mike Wade MW130307 (26).
PEDESTRIANS in Union Mills will soon be able to cross the road more safely once the new refuge in the centre of the road is complete.
The island, opposite the Spar shop will allow pedestrians to cross the road half way at a time making it much easier during busy periods.
Middle MHK Howard Quayle said he was pleased with the move and had campaigned for some time for it.
‘I have been working on this since I was elected,’ he said.
‘It is something the locals have wanted in Union Mills for some time. The traffic can move quickly there and someone has been knocked over in the past.’
He said it was a main route in and out of Douglas and passengers returning by bus from Douglas have to cross at that point to reach many of the village’s houses.
‘This has been a major concern,’ he said.
‘The commissioners have paid for a car park now at the side of the Spar shop and so we then worked with Highways to put in a crossing. The whole idea was to make it safer.’
He said they had examined the possibility of using a pelican crossing at that point but it presented several difficulties. One was the space which was too limited for the required distances between the crossing and the car park entrance and exit. The other was the potential traffic congestion it would cause with possible tailbacks out of the village during busy periods.
Another consideration was that the refuge is on the TT course.
‘Because of that, we had to have consultaions with the ACU and seek their approval of the plans,’ he said.
The refuge is removable and can be unscrewed from the road surface and taken away during the TT and Manx Grand Prix fortnights. In addition, the road markings have used special paint which affords more grip and are positioned off the racing line.
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Weather for Isle of Man
Sunday 26 May 2013
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 10 C to 13 C
Wind Speed: 22 mph
Wind direction: South west
Tomorrow
Heavy rain
Temperature: 7 C to 11 C
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