Road safety expert details ‘unnerving’ situation at deadly West Melbourne intersection

A cycling and road safety expert has issued a warning about the West Melbourne intersection where a cyclist was tragically killed last week.

Angus Collins, 22, was hit by a truck at the intersection of the Footscray Road trail and Dock Link Road.

At the intersection, both cyclists and left turning vehicles have simultaneous green lights and a warning sign telling drivers to watch for cyclists. But a large concrete pylon has created a “blind spot” for drivers.

Press PLAY below to hear what makes the intersection “unnerving”.

“With that pillar effectively turning it into a blind spot, the truck driver … wouldn’t have had a microsecond to react,” president of Bike West and research fellow at Victoria University, John Symons, told Neil Mitchell.

“It’s pretty unnerving and pretty dangerous.”

Mr Symons says connected cycling infrastructure is critical.

“Pretty good, protected cycling infrasdtcuture was put along Dynon Road,  crosses over the Maribyrnong River and then just stops dead 20 metres past the river. You’ve got Footscray 500 metres away and you cannot cycle there safely,” he said.