Council ‘not listening’ on safety: Campaigner

RESIDENTS of a Dundee street are being consulted on the removal of a tree to improve road safety but the lead campaigner has accused the council of not listening.

Derek Paton has been pleading with Dundee City Council to install a pedestrian island at the Strathmore Avenue end of Johnston Avenue. The other three junctions of the roundabout there all have pedestrian islands.

The road safety campaigner said it is needed to help disabled and elderly people cross the road safely.

Mr Paton was the leading campaigner who fought for years to have the speed limit of the street reduced to 20mph.

Council officers have cited national guidance on the width of roads before a pedestrian island can be considered and claim Johnston Avenue is too narrow.

The local authority is now consulting residents on creating more dropped kerbs, which was described by a council source as a “compromise” between meeting the guidance and appeasing the concerns of residents.

The new proposal includes implementing additional dropped kerbs further away from the junction than where Mr Paton thinks the pedestrian island would be most used.

However, this would require the removal of a tree to improve visibility. The tree is thought to be about 100-years old.

The consultation is currently live to residents of Johnston Avenue and will close in May.

However, Mr Paton feels the council are “not listening” to his concerns and that a pedestrian island is vital.

He said: “The roundabout is not safe at the best of times.

“Some drivers treat it like a junction and drive over the white circle.

“Where the council is now proposing putting a dropped kerb is pointless. Pedestrians are still going to cross at the natural point, which is where the road first begins to narrow.

“It makes sense to have the safety measure there. All I am asking for is for the road to have the same pedestrian island that is on the other three junctions of the roundabout. Council officers are saying the road is too narrow, but that is just guidance. It’s up to the councillors and officers to decide how best to adhere to that guidance.”

Attempts were made for Mr Paton to present a deputation at a council meeting earlier this year, but the item was removed from the agenda so has not yet been discussed by councillors.

He hopes to take it up at a future meeting if plans move ahead as proposed by the local authority.

A council spokesman said: “Due to the road layout and width, pedestrian refuge islands are not proposed for the southern end of Johnston Avenue.

“Consideration is being given to improving pedestrian accessibility by installing dropped kerb access at the narrower part of the road.”

Derek Paton is campaigning to have a pedestrian refuge on Johnston Avenue, but is not happy with the response from Dundee City Council.