Friday 4 November 2011

Traffic calming disappointment

The revised traffic calming cuts down the number of raised tables. It seems like there is a consensus on that one. But the lack of a pelican or light controlled crossing at the Cross Keys is a major set back.  Alan Morris puts it very well:


It's disappointing that the proposal to covert the pedestrian crossing, outside the Cross Keys in Cranfield, to be light controlled has been removed from the traffic calming plan.  


The reason that the Parish Council originally supported this idea was to provide one crossing in the village which would allow those members of the village who are visually impaired (one of whom is a Parish Councillor) to be made aware that it is safe to step off the curb.  


Modern cars, particularly hybrid cars in electric drive mode, are very quiet so a blind person would not be in a position to know that a car was near and would not be able to stop if one ventured onto the crossing.  


I am aware that transport officers take the view that motorist understand pedestrians have right of way and thus will always yield to a person standing at a crossing.  This is a kindly view of the British driver, touching in it's sentiment but utterly unrealistic - I'm just glad that I'm not visually impaired and don't run the risk of being impaled by a motorist who is late for an appointment and does not wish to lose more time by stopping at crossing! 

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