The short life of the rainbow crossing on Sydney’s Oxford St is about to come to an end, with officials saying people stopping to pose for pictures on it are making it a safety hazard. The crossing was installed in February to mark the 35th Mardi Gras pride parade. Officials have now announced it will be dug up on April 10 for road safety reasons, and say it will cost a further $30,000 to have it removed. A safety audit found it presented “a high risk of pedestrian/vehicle related incidents”. “This trial crossing was a gesture extended to Sydney’s gay and lesbian community to honour the 35th anniversary of Mardi Gras,” NSW Roads Minister Duncan Gay has stated. “But behaviour we have seen has set off alarm bells at the high risk of injuries and fatalities at this crossing, with more than 15 incidents in a month.” Sydney Mayor Clover Moore has expressed disappointment, saying the crossing is a very powerful symbol to say Sydney is an inclusive city. Gay says he will back an “alternative permanent rainbow attraction” if the City of Sydney Council chose to create one off the roads.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Sunday, 7th April 2013 - 12:16pm