MOTORISTS and pedestrians must all take responsibility for safety at the CBD's new roundabout, says Tablelands road safety officer Andrew Cutts.
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Mr Cutts, who oversees road safety projects for Bathurst Regional Council and Blayney Council, said his latest education campaign was focused on the upgraded roundabout at the busy intersection of George and Howick streets.
The roundabout was replaced in a three-month project that started at the beginning of the year and included the removal of pedestrian crossings at each of the roundabout exits.
The next stage of the project will see a new pedestrian installed further along George Street between Howick and Russell streets but, until then, Mr Cutts said everyone should take extra care when crossing.
"The big change is that with the removal of the marked pedestrian crossings pedestrians must now give way to traffic," he said.
"Pedestrians can still cross at the roundabout but must look both ways, as you always should.
"And drivers also need to be aware that there may be people crossing there."
Cr Warren Aubin said the upgraded roundabout had improved traffic flow through the Bathurst CBD.
"One of the main reasons for redoing this roundabout was for traffic flow by getting rid of the crossings," he said.
"Pedestrians now have to give way to motor vehicles which makes traffic flow a lot better."
Cr Aubin said he had been told work on the new pedestrian crossing would start "in a month or two".
He said the roundabout at George and Russell streets would be the next to be upgraded but there was no timeline yet for that project.