Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
A triumph for people power
Fight to win crossing finally succeeds
Kirkwood residents are celebrating after their lengthy campaign to have a crossing installed outside a busy shop on the area’s main road finally proved successful.
A new proposal to place a crossing at the Tesco on Woodside Street was unanimously approved by councillors on North Lanarkshire’s infrastructure committee – after they had rejected a previous recommendation not to take action.
It comes after two public petitions were submitted last year with a combined total of more than 750 signatures, calling for the safety measure to help pedestrians and to prevent motorists parking on existing yellow lines.
Resident John Lynn, who started the first petition, told the Advertiser: “It’s brilliant news and a great victory for us – it’ll make a big difference without doubt and will give us peace of mind.
“It’s been nearly three years since I first highlighted this, and last year’s petition had hundreds of signatures just from being left in local shops.
“Barriers were put round this area to stop people parking on the yellow lines but motorists still do it.
“We just want kids, older people and disabled people to be able to cross safely outside the Tesco and this is ideal as it gives an easy way for people get across and the traffic to go up and down.”
John first raised concerns about drivers parking on the yellow lines around the main road’s junctions with Lismore Drive and Mitchell Street back in 2015 – telling how it caused congestion and caused particular problems for vulnerable road users, such as those in mobility scooters and with prams and buggies.
He started his petition for a crossing a year ago, followed a few months later by Kirkwood neighbour Ryan Scott, who also arranged a public meeting involving roads officials, police and politicians.
Ryan said: “I’m delighted for local residents, who’ll be able to get across Woodside Street without problems now.
“People were afraid to cross and kids will be safer. A new crossing will also eradicate the problem of cars parking right at that spot, so it benefits everybody.
“Hundreds of people signed these petitions and that’s a big voice, to have all the people of Kirkwood crying out for years for lights to be put there – without them it wouldn’t have happened and I’m delighted.”
Although Ryan has now moved away from Kirkwood, he continues to serve on the area’s community council and added: “This shows that Kirkwood has community spirit to make a change, and if this continues it will become stronger.
“I’d like to thank everyone who signed the petition and got the council to change their minds after it was first put forward in March that nothing should happen.
“The community council and Neighbourhood Watch had a big part to play in getting the ball rolling and I’d like to thank everyone for making it a success.”
All three Coatbridge West councillors supported the residents’ safety calls, along with Fulton MacGregor MSP of the SNP and fellow town representative Hugh Gaffney, the Labour MP.
SNP councillor Caroline Stephen – who had gained special permission to speak and present her constituents’ case at the previous infrastructure meeting – said: “I’m absolutely over the moon for the residents – it’s a great win for them.
“It’s a good example of community power as people have come together. Their voices are being heard and they’ve been empowered by local representatives to call for change.
“This is a really big issue in Kirkwood. It’s a very busy road and the parking issue outside the Tesco is causing chaos for residents trying to cross, so it will also alleviate that problem and create more safety for residents.
“We were quite deflated when we previously thought it wasn’t going to happen, but I’m excited for the residents and can only say a big thank you to the infrastructure committee for the support in getting it through and roads department who have worked really hard on this to get a position for a crossing with the junctions in place.”
The £ 10,000 crossing will now be installed at the earliest opportunity, after councillors gave the goahead and approved a report noting that more pedestrians crossed the road outside Tesco than at the existing traffic lights 100m away during morning and afternoon peak surveys.