Hamilton residents and councillors call to make city streets safer following the death of a Darts bus driver

Local councillors and residents are calling to make Hamilton streets safer. They say something needs to be done following the death of a Darts bus driver on Main Street on Thursday.

Hamilton police are still investigating the cause of the accident but they say speed and a mechanical issue have not been ruled out. Police have confirmed that a medical condition is not a factor in this crash.

According to police the 49-year-old Hamilton woman who died as a result of the incident was operating a bus when she was hit by a black Honda Civic. She stopped to pick up a passenger on Main Street West and started exiting her vehicle when the car drove off the road and struck a building right before hitting the woman.

The driver of the Honda Civic is a 75-year-old woman and she wasn’t injured.

Hamilton police say that the driver was released after she was arrested because investigators have to look at all the evidence from the scene before a charge can be laid.

The president of the union that represents employees at Darts Hamilton says the woman who was killed had worked there for almost 20 years.

City councillors Maureen Wilson and Nrinder Nann say enough is enough, “our annual collision reports clearly indicate an overwhelming majority of deaths and injuries are occurring on Main Street and King Street,” Nann said.

“You have a corridor of one-way traffic with multiple lanes moving through the heart of a city and its neighbourhoods. It’s not safe. It’s been proven not to be safe,” Wilson said.

They are working on a motion to bring immediate and long-term changes like making both Main Street and King Street two way streets.

Residents living and working in the area say changes are needed.

Councillors say the motion will be presented at the city council meeting on Wednesday.