SAFE PASSAGE

Safety measures to help prevent pedestrians being hit by buses on Wellington’s inner-city bus route:

ALREADY IN PLACE Improved pedestrian sight lines. Street furniture marking buffer zone between roads and footpaths. Temporary barrier fences. ‘‘Look both ways’’ public education campaign. Street and kerb signs. Lower speed restrictions.

STILL TO COME Shorter pedestrian waits at some controlled crossings.

Controlled crossing in Willis St.

The council has erected a temporary barrier at the site and says it plans to shorten the waiting time for pedestrians at several controlled crossings in an effort to reduce the casualty count. Councillors will be briefed next month on a long-awaited pedestrian safety study.

A bus driver who regularly drives the Golden Mile route said yesterday she was constantly fearful behind the wheel.

Near-misses happened every day, she said. ‘‘I haven’t hit anyone yet, but I’m just waiting for it to happen.’’

People often played chicken with buses, but others just weren’t concentrating or got distracted by iPods or mobile phones.

‘‘I’ve even seen people push out babies. There was a time when it was really getting to me, but now I’ve decided if it happens, it happens.

‘‘It plays with my mind and now I’ve got a protocol set up so that if I do hit somebody and