LIVES could be lost in Killyeagh unless road improvements are made claims a Rowallene Councillor.
Down District Councillor Billy Walker has sent out a stern warning to all road users – pedestrians and drivers – who use the pedestrian lights in the centre of Killyleagh.
After a number of near serious accidents and possible fatalities, Councillor Walker  has expressed his deep concerns and will be asking the DOE Roads Service at their annual presentation to Council on Monday evening to make urgent improvements as soon as possible.
He said: “This matter has gone on too long and I have been told it is not a priority issue. There have been numerous cases when pedestrians have almost been knocked down, mostly by speeding vehichles coming from the Comber direction.
“I am just appalled at the fact that drivers can race through Killyleagh with no heed to the safety of pedestrians. It is now time for action before someone is seriously injured or killed. I have lobbied for three years on this issue and it is simply getting worse. There are literally dozens of people who have had near misses with cars, vans and lorries near or at this crossing. Speed is the basic problem.
“In my advice clinics I now get more people coming to me about this issue that I do on housing problems. That is a very significant increase in incidents, and I am glad that local residents in Killyleagh are speaking up about it.
“The PSNI can’t be there 24/7. The case of the van driver caught speeding last Christmas highlights the problem. The driver swerved to miss two children and took away a wing mirror from a parked car and scrapped another car. He will soon be up in court for this. He just drove on. This could easily have been a fatal accident.
“At least if the Roads Service is not prepared to upgrade this crossing then they could install traffic calming measures including improving traffic signage.”
Mabel Beers, who has a near miss at the pedestrian crossing, said: “I was crossing one day and a car just kept on coming and I just got off the crossing when it sped past me. I don’t even think the driver saw me.”
Another Killyleagh resident, Lily Cranston, said: “I was crossing a the lights and I started to hurry when I saw a car approach. It was not going to stop. It was just travelling too fast for the town centre. If I hadn’t hurried off the crossing I would have been hit by the car.”
Jean Cheevers said: “I had just come out of the Mace shop and went on to the crossing when a van came from the Comber direction and was driving towards me. It was just going to fast and I couldn’t get the drving licence number. I had to leap out of the way.”
Killyleagh mother  Samantha Jess explained: “My daughter was traumatised one day when she was going to school. She went on to the crossing and a car had to swerve round her. When she arrived at school she was still shaking badly.”
The Roads Service is due to make its annual presentation to Down District Council this Monday evening (22 September).
