GO GEORGE focuses on pedestrian safety around buses

GO GEORGE has embarked on a passenger- and pedestrian-safety campaign to remind passengers as well as the general public to be alert and stay safe around buses.

Champions can be seen in York Street at the bus stops in front of the Post Office as well as the stop next to Eden Technical High School where they currently hand out pamphlets. Engaging with passengers and pedestrians, they warn in particular about the unsafe crossing of busy streets in front of or from behind the bus, and especially at these stops in York Street.

“The safety of pedestrians at and near bus stops is as much the concern of GO GEORGE as the safety of passengers on the buses,” says GO GEORGE Manager, James Robb. “It is not safe to cross a roadway right in front of or behind a bus, even if it is stationary. Motorists overtaking the bus may not see you crossing.”

Robb notes that the bus stops have intentionally been placed to be near a zebra pedestrian crossing or an intersection with a pedestrian crossing. “In some instances, crossings are paved or built up to allow a seamless and direct walking experience and force motorists to slow down. This is where you want to cross to be safe. In suburbs or areas where there are no crossings, passengers should wait until after the bus has departed before they cross the road.”

Talking about visibility when people cross the street in front or from behind a bus, he explains that intersections are designed to allow maximum visibility of pedestrians.

“Cars are forced to reduce speed or to come to a complete stop. Please walk the short distance to the nearest crossing and be safe,” Robb urges all pedestrians.

GO GEORGE has compiled a passenger safety pamphlet containing important tips for passenger safety before boarding the bus, on the bus, and after leaving the bus. While adhering to Covid safety precautions such as wearing masks, sanitising their hands regularly and not getting too close to people they engage with, GO GEORGE communication champions use the pamphlets to alert the public to behave safely and responsibly.
For any information or assistance regarding the bus service, please phone the GO GEORGE Call Centre on 0800 044 044, visit www.gogeorge.org.za, send an email to info@gogeorge.org.za or visit the GO GEORGE Facebook page to stay up to date with the latest bus-related news.

CAPTION:
GO GEORGE Community Liaison Officer, Tyron Jeyi, explains to Bradley Claasen how close the pedestrian crossing is to the bus stop, and why it is safest to cross the busy street at that point and not in the vicinity of the bus. Bradley works at Fancourt and travels into town from Rosedale, transferring to the Blanco route at the Post Office.

PERSVERKLARING: GO GEORGE fokus op voetgangerveiligheid rondom busse
Uitgereik 30 Julie 2021

GO GEORGE het begin met ‘n passasier- en voetgangerveiligheidsveldtog om passasiers sowel as die algemene publiek te herinner om waaksaam te wees en veilig te bly in die omgewing van busse.

Passasiersdiensbeamptes is tans in Yorkstraat by die bushaltes voor die poskantoor asook die bushalte langs die Eden Tegniese Hoërskool besig om pamflette uit deel. In hul omgang met passasiers en voetgangers waarsku hulle veral oor die onveilige kruising van besige strate voor of van agter die bus, en veral by hierdie bushaltes in Yorkstraat.

“GO GEORGE is net so besorg oor die veiligheid van voetgangers by en naby bushaltes as oor die veiligheid van passasiers op die busse,” sê GO GEORGE-bestuurder, James Robb. “Dit is nie veilig om ‘n pad reg voor of agter ‘n bus oor te steek nie, al is die bus stilstaande. Motoriste wat die bus verbysteek, gaan jou moeilik raaksien.”

Robb wys daarop dat die bushaltes doelbewus naby ‘n sebravoetgangeroorgang of ‘n kruising met ‘n voetgangeroorgang geplaas is. “In sommige gevalle word kruisings geplavei of opgebou om ‘n naatlose en direkte loopervaring toe te laat en motoriste te dwing om stadiger te ry. Dit is waar jy wil oorstap om veilig te wees. In voorstede of gebiede waar daar geen kruisings is nie, moet passasiers wag tot nadat die bus vertrek het voordat hulle die pad oorsteek.”

Oor sigbaarheid wanneer mense die straat voor of van agter ‘n bus oorsteek, verduidelik hy dat kruisings ontwerp is om maksimum sigbaarheid van voetgangers toe te laat.

“Motors word gedwing om spoed te verminder of om volledig tot stilstand te kom. Stap asseblief die kort afstand na die naaste kruising en wees veilig,” doen Robb ‘n beroep op alle voetgangers.
GO GEORGE het ‘n pamflet saamgestel wat belangrike wenke vir passasiers bevat oor veiligheid voordat hulle op die bus klim, op die bus, en nadat hulle die bus verlaat het. Met inagneming van Covid-voorsorgmaatreëls soos die dra van maskers, gereelde ontsmetting van hande en ‘n veilige afstand van die mense met wie hulle kommunikeer, gebruik GO GEORGE-passasiersdiensbeamptes die pamflette om die publiek te waarsku om veilig en verantwoordelik op te tree.

Vir enige inligting of hulp met betrekking tot die busdiens, skakel asseblief die GO GEORGE-inbelsentrum by 0800 044 044, besoek www.gogeorge.org.za, stuur ‘n e-pos aan info@gogeorge.org.za of besoek die GO GEORGE Facebook-blad om op hoogte te bly van die jongste busverwante nuus.

Onderskrif:
GO GEORGE-gemeenskapskakelbeampte, Tyron Jeyi, verduidelik aan Bradley Claasen hoe naby die voetgangeroorgang aan die bushalte is, en waarom dit die veiligste is om die besige straat daar oor te steek en nie in die omgewing van die bus nie. Bradley werk by Fancourt en ry vanaf Rosedale dorp toe met die bus en klim by die poskantoor oor op die Blanco-roete.