Cyclist in sixties is seriously hurt after accident
The Brownstown Road - Armagh Road Junction. INPT18-234.
A CYCLIST who was hit by a car at the notorious Brownstown Road-Armagh Road junction at the weekend sustained “serious multiple injuries”, the victim’s son has revealed.
The man, who is from the Richhill area and is aged in his 60s, was cycling close to the petrol station when the collision took place around 10.30am on Saturday.
The victim’s son said his father remained in the intensive care unit at Belfast’s Royal Victoria Hospital until Wednesday and was “now recovering”.
A PSNI spokesman confirmed the collision had taken place and the cyclist had received treatment for “injuries that were not believed to be life-threatening”.
While the circumstances behind the accident have yet to be established, the incident has intensified fears among motorists and pedestrians that the junction, which is currently undergoing significant changes to its lay-out, is a ‘death trap’.
Last month a pedestrian was struck by a car as he crossed Brownstown Road and residents have complained that the pedestrian crossing is not functioning.
DUP Councillor Gladys McCullough has called on the Roads Service to urgently address road users’ concerns. “The work on the layout appears to be sporadic. Work started before Easter and here we are now in July and we don’t even have a proper traffic system in place.
“There are a lot more complaints now. Nearly every time I go out I hear more and more. It’s ongoing and there is so much confusion for motorists and pedestrians. Drivers turning onto the Brownstown Road don’t know when to turn right because there is no traffic light.
“There was a near miss on Sunday. A motorist was coming from Armagh, heading into Portadown, but he took the lane (that leads) onto the Brownstown Road, then at the last minute he had to swerve.
“It was only because it was Sunday and the traffic was light that there wasn’t an accident.
“Previously it has been said that the junction was just an ‘accident waiting to happen’. Now is it a case of someone is going to lose their life.”
Mrs McCullough added, “Once we get the new traffic lights in operation and if we find it doesn’t make any difference, then they (Roads Service) will have to change the entire system. The pressure’s on them to make sure it’s safe.”
She raised the matter at Craigavon Borough Council’s mid-monthly meeting on Monday, with members agreeing to set up a meeting with Roads Service.
In response, a DRD Roads Service spokeswoman said, “Work on the upgrade of the traffic signals at the Brownstown Road/Armagh Road junction is nearing completion. It is hoped that the new signals will be operational before the July holiday period.
“The new signals will bring improved pedestrian crossing facilities to this junction. The public’s continued patience is appreciated while this work is completed.”
Text your views to 84555. starting your message with PTTEXT and then a space. Readers can also post their views on our Facebook page.
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Portadown
Sunday 26 May 2013
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 9 C to 15 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
Wind direction: South
Tomorrow
Light showers
Temperature: 5 C to 14 C
Wind Speed: 15 mph
Wind direction: South west
