Some Responses to the Paris Street Survey
I visited recently, and found it is still easy for vehicles, and awkward on foot or bicycle. The traffic in general isn’t breaking any speed limits, but drivers have an urgency and determination to hurry up that makes it hard to decide whether to cross or not.
I volunteer at the hospital on Friday afternoons and have to use the crossing to get to the bus station at around 5pm. At this time on Fridays the traffic is very heavy and travelling very fast. You take your life in your hands trying to weave your way through – often two lines of – traffic rushing home on Friday evenings.
The buses and post office staff zoom around this area, there are students everywhere and the road is wide and difficult to see past a waiting bus. The traffic off Paris st roundabout is also very fast and crossing towards the Triangle car park is like running a gauntlet.
I have accompanied my child’s primary school class as a volunteer when walking to the pool and back (from Ladysmith Junior School) and we all found the crossings hairy. My older children (high school age) attend teen gym and swimming sessions at SSP, and I worry about them crossing the road. They are sensible kids but you can’t trust the vehicles – I have seen them!
Very dangerous crossing given the number of children going to and from the pool. The stairs go straight down toward the road and cars have no reason to slow or be more vigilant. Difficult to know which cars are coming off the round about and you almost have to run across if one exits the roundabout unexpectedly. Needs better planning and crossing point.
These crossings have been dangerous for decades. It is impossible to second-guess whether traffic will be turning into Cheeke Street from the roundabout. Of all the roads I cross in Exeter Cheeke Street by the Western Way roundabout is the one with most risk and uncertainty attached.
In addition I’d like to see better cycle lanes, and priority for buses in this whole area. I often cycle to the swimming pool and think the roundabout is hugely unsafe for cyclists
I cycle around this area for work fairly regularly and the whole area is awful for both pedestrians and bikes. Its pretty awful as a driver as well. The whole area needs rethinking for pedestrians