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NSW Transport automates pedestrian signals at coronavirus testing clinics

Pedestrians no longer have to push the "call" button to activate signal crossings.
Written by Aimee Chanthadavong, Contributor

Transport for NSW has begun automating pedestrian crossings within the immediate vicinity of selected pop-up coronavirus testing clinics in a move to minimise the spread of the novel coronavirus outbreak.

These selected locations include Bondi Beach, Windsor, and Redfern.

The automated signals will operate between 6am to 10pm daily to closely align with each clinic's operating hours.

"This means pedestrians no longer need to push the 'call' button to activate the pedestrian signal crossings while still being able to cross the road safely and access health services," Transport for NSW chief operations officer Howard Collins said.

The state government began rolling out automatic pedestrian signal crossings last month, starting in the Sydney CBD where the signals were already automated between 7am to 7pm.

The automated signal crossings were then rolled out to the immediate vicinity of major health precincts across greater Sydney.

The first stage of the rollout began in Randwick at the Sydney's Children's Hospital and Prince of Wales Hospital.

This was then been followed by Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown; St Vincent's Hospital, Darlinghurst; The Children's Hospital at Westmead and Westmead Hospital, Westmead; Liverpool Hospital, Liverpool; Nepean Hospital, Kingswood; St George Hospital, Kogarah; Royal North Shore Hospital, St Leonards; and Blacktown Hospital, Blacktown.

The automated pedestrian crossings in these areas operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Collins added any further expansion of the initiative would be at "other key health precincts taking into consideration impacts on road safety, traffic and transport operations and community amenity". 

"Transport for NSW has taken a targeted approach by implementing this public health measure where it would be most effective in limiting the spread of Coronavirus to the most vulnerable," he said. 

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