Dismayatcommentson pedestriancrossings

I was dismayed to see Cllr Drysdale advertising on Twitter today [October 1] that he is “delighted” his representations to deactivate the hands-free pedestrian crossings have been “successful”.

I have seen no consultation regarding their removal. This will put pedestrians lives at risk by increasing their chance of catching COVID-19.

They are already at risk because of the lack of space for people on e.g. South Street to social distance even though councillors approved a successful bid for £1.1m from Sustrans to make space.

The councillor even tried to spin that the change would benefit pedestrians’ health through “reducing air pollution” - when in fact this is just an argument to encourage through traffic in Perth which perpetuates congestion and pollution.

We live in the city centre. Although the weather has been damp my family of four used crossings 20 times in town today. On a dry day our family might, conservatively, use crossings 30 times a day.

That’s 30 extra times our household is now at risk of catching COVID-19 from a crossing button, or 30 extra times we would have to sanitise our hands.

Or, the boys might decide to chance the traffic instead of pressing the germridden buttons. All those increased risks - just so that drivers aren’t inconvenienced by having occasionally to stop.

No doubt the councillor will claim that drivers complained to him. Perhaps some did.

But what of all the pedestrians who were happy with the changes and didn’t complain?

This is a repeating problem: a vocal minority - typically some businesses and drivers - complain when things are changed.

A more vulnerable majority that benefits - pedestrians, including children in these cases - are ignored.

So, nothing changes because a few complainers insist on maintaining the status quo.

Why aren’t we making and keeping changes based on surveys and evidence rather than automatically caving in as soon as a few people - or a councillor - complains?

Felicity Graham

Marshall Place