Dear Editor,
Regarding the recently constructed public space and commemorative plaques at the Mason’s Arms, my husband and I really welcome this as the newly constructed wheelchair friendly path now links Redworth House Care Home to the Locomotion Railway Museum. It has opened up a welcome extension to the lives of less able residents of the Care Home.
Unfortunately you have to take your life in your own hands when crossing the road as
a) the dropped kerbs aren’t level with the road, and they are not lined up straight but diagonally.
b) the proximity of the roundabout where there is no line of sight, means crossing towards the public space is dangerous and the return across the road, the line of sight is blocked because of the way that the Mason’s Arms protrudes.
I am hoping that some way of highlighting this ‘crossing’ can be implemented by the constructors of this route to make it safe and easier to negotiate.
Your sincerely,
Anne Clarke, Address supplied.
Shildon & District's local community newspaper.
Anne
I completely agree, the traffic in all the settlements in the county has risen sharply over the past decades and yet I don’t recall a single new safe crossing being established in any of them. The traffic density means there are no gaps for crossing and older or disabled residents have not enough time to cross. The drivers won’t give way in too many cases as an act of courtesy either, leaving travellers on foot no opportunity to cross. I have brought this up with some councillors and Durham County Council for which the topic is ignored or refuted. Yet they drive everywhere as do most police. Journeys are done by car not on foot.
It may be well worthy a fuller story on this topic to highlight the endless inconvenience for pedestrians, children and disabled travellers moving around towns. In Europe the situation is completely reversed and pedestrians have priority inside town boundaries and cars must give way. Speeds are lower often but pedestrians get to cross safely and cars must stop.