Safety on campus: residents complain about students’ lack of road skills

Local councillor David Skinner recently criticised Warwick University students for their lack of road safety skills: “it is only a matter of time” before someone is killed
outside the University.

The campus is vulnerable due to the volume of commuters and numerous one-way streets, with both blind and sharp corners. With few pedestrian crossings, students are forced to cross the roads even in the face of on coming vehicles. One first-year commented: “You can’t always wait for one car travelling slowly to go past before crossing. I’m normally in a rush to get to lectures”.

According to Skinner, several residents near the campus have complained about the foolhardy attitude of students. Recently one resident reportedly performed an emergency stop to avoid running over a pair of students.

However, as Peter Dunn, the University’s Head of Communications, pointed out, “It should also be remembered that not all of the people walking or riding outside the University will be students.”

Another concern is the failure of some cyclists to wear adequate visibility protection in and around campus, particularly in the evenings between the central campus and residences.

Councillor Skinner’s complaints of what he calls “phantom riders” are not a new phenomenon for the University. Warwick has received complaints in the past from disgruntled motorists and residents claiming about the lack of road awareness displayed by pedestrians, cyclists and motorists in and around campus, particularly during the dark evening hours.

A University press release from December 2008 noted: “Drivers have reported several ‘near misses’ with virtually invisible cyclists on the roads, who are riding without lights, high-visibility jackets and also without helmets”.

By law cyclists must at least have front and rear lights affixed to their bikes to be used at all times outside of broad daylight hours. Failure to do so carries a risk of prosecution.

A second-year Law student complained that he found driving on campus frustrating: “People will just walk out in front of you, without even looking. But it’s not as if the campus is different to driving anywhere else – that happens everywhere”.

The pelican crossing on University Road, which replaced an existing zebra crossing, provoked concern at its introduction just over two years ago. Pedestrians no longer have a right of way at the crossing point, and must wait for a change in the traffic lights. Often pedestrians ignore this rule and the situation is aggravated by the proximity of the bus stop, with waiting buses obscuring pedestrians and on coming traffic.

In spite of these issues, Head of Communications Peter Dunn warned there was only so much that could be done. “The issue had been included in a University newsletter and warnings were constantly given to staff and students, but at the end of the day they are adults.”