Road signages put up near SMK Pusing

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THE Public Works Department has put up road signages on both sides of the busy Ipoh-Lumut Road near SMK Pusing over concerns that there was a lack of safety features there.

Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) deputy chairman M. Sarasvathy said the lighted signages warning motorists of school children crossing ahead had been put up before the junction leading to the school.

The department had deployed its engineers to inspect the area after receiving a memorandum from a group of concerned parents last month, she said.

Dicing with danger: Students on motorcycles crossing the Ipoh — Lumut highway after the morning school session.

“I was told by the engineers that a traffic light crossing would be created at the junction by the end of the year.

“I was also told that the department has been pushing the Works Ministry to set aside an allocation for the construction of an overhead bridge there, ” she told MetroPerak.

It was reported on Oct 29 that students of SMK Pusing risk their lives daily as they have to cross the busy road to get to their school.

Parents had complained that there were no traffic lights along the road in front of the school or a zebra crossing despite the heavy traffic and high number of heavy vehicles plying the road.

Neither were there speed bumps nor proper signages to force motorists to slow down when nearing the school, they had said.

Worried for their children, the parents had handed over a memorandum with 2,500 signatures from students, parents and nearby residents, to the department to compel it to look into the matter.

Sarasvathy, who is assisting the group of parents, said PSM had also written to the ministry requesting for an overhead bridge for pedestrians and motorcyclists to be constructed soon.

“Vehicles tend to speed on the road, which is considered a highway.

“The speed limit here is 90km per hour but even then, I think it is still too fast and vehicles moving at that speed may not be able to stop in time when the lights change to red.

“The only solution is for an overhead bridge to be constructed and I hope it will become a reality by the middle of next year,” she said.

“If the Government can spend millions on other projects, it should not be too difficult to construct an overhead bridge, which is of far more importance as it can save lives,” she added.