A woman has been left fighting for life, and three children have been injured after a vehicle crashed into pedestrians at a busy central Auckland intersection.

The accident happened on the three-way corner of Melrose Rd, Hayr Rd and Olsen Ave in Hillsborough, Mt Roskill, at 3.30pm on Tuesday.

A witness from the Solsen Motel, directly opposite the intersection, told the Herald he was one of the first people to help the pedestrians.

“There were three kids and a lady who was unconscious.

“It was difficult to see the kids upset … It would have been really difficult for her to manage three kids crossing that road. Anywhere else would have been fine, but not on this road.”

Hato Hone St John took one person to Auckland City Hospital in a critical condition and another two to Starship Hospital in moderate conditions.

A fourth person suffered minor injuries and was treated at the scene.

The witness said the road would benefit from a set of traffic lights and crossings, so people had a safe space to cross.

“Traffic lights would be the main fix because there’s a right turn and people take a left turn; there are no proper indications.

“People do not see signs, only lights, and they only follow rules when penalised.

“That’s the harsh reality of people, of our society.”

He said near-misses were common at the intersection.

“I see stuff often … there is nowhere for pedestrians to cross the road, there are no options for them.

“It’s a big issue here, and it’s quite a busy main road.”

Maratha 1981 Indian Eatery also agreed that traffic lights and a crossing were needed.

Drivers were asked to find alternate routes and expect delays at the time of the accident.

Changes to problematic intersection

Changes are now being made at the intersection by Auckland Transport (AT) after multiple concerns from the community about delays for traffic turning out of Melrose Rd.

A letter to nearby affected residents and businesses detailed an update on a project improving the road at the Melrose Rd, Olsen Ave and Hayr Rd intersection.

Changes include:

• Widening of the footpath and extending the kerb on both sides of the intersection
• Installation of a skid-resistant road surface to help vehicles stop more safely
• Upgrading existing pram crossings at both corners of the intersection with new tactile pavers and a reshaped grass berm

One resident told the Herald that he advised AT late last year about the safety risk at the junction where Tuesday’s accident happened.

His main concerns were around congestion and traffic flow.

Correspondence between the man and AT in October, seen by the Herald, shows AT’s acknowledgement of queues during peak commuting times.

“We understand that queueing on Melrose Road during school runs and commuter peaks can be frustrating,” AT said. “While traffic on Melrose Road has been observed to queue during commuter peak times, the delays are currently not considered significant.

“The main concern from the community is the safety of both motorists and pedestrians at this intersection.

“After careful consideration, we are not able to widen the Melrose Rd approach as it would increase pedestrian crossing distance and would require the removal of [the] flush median, which would increase [the] safety risk for road users.”

It was decided instead to widen the footpaths to reduce the distance that pedestrians have to cross.

AT traffic operations manager Jared Plumridge told the Herald a “community-initiated programme” had been set up, by which residents could give feedback on roads in their area.

“We’re committed to turning these local requests into reality more quickly, affordably and effectively. We look into every request. We ask if safety or operational improvements are needed, and what they might look like.

“If we think a project is feasible and will improve safety and access, we add it to a priority list. This means it is ready to go once funding is confirmed.”

So far, one pedestrian refuge island has been installed.

Construction for the changes is planned to start in June.