Education needed

It is very pleasing to learn from yesterday’s Observer that the centre of Chichester is to be tidied up and in particular bike riding in the pedestrian area will be better controlled. Not before time. I have often wondered why we do not adopt the Dutch policy of requiring all businesses to clean the whole of their frontage to the middle of the road by 8.15am, so that the motorised rubbish collection can be completed by 8.45 each morning.

However there are other important issues for our new taskforce and the council to concentrate on. First of course the appalling state of the road surfaces in the pedestrianised areas. It is not uncommon to see the elderly, the blind or small children trip over the badly laid and poorly chosen socalled heritage pavings. It is a waste of time to infill broken or missing pavings with bits of brick, concrete or poorly shaped bits of old paving. Secondly, the occupiers and/or owners of properties along the main streets and some other much used passageways such as the Crooked S should be required to keep their overhead gutters in proper repair. If you like a cold shower try the Crooked S after a downpour! Many of the downpipes on our roads pour out straight onto the pavement, causing serious risk of slipping when the weather is icy or flooding the pavements. Some gutters are loose or bent and shower those of us below. Perhaps the new task force could survey our streets for such examples and send letters to the owners requiring repair before next winter?

Having twice been hit by an inconsiderate cyclist who then swore at me as if it were my fault to be in the pedestrian zone at midday, I wonder whether a low chain across the middle of the beginning of the pedestrian zone might deter rogue cyclists during the hours when they are banned? I notice there are bicycle racks outside Marks & Spencers. Surely this encourages people to ride them? Surely they should be placed at the end of the pedestrian area? When challenged some men (yes, it is always men) say they did not know about the pedestrian zone control times. Notices do exist but are high up and lost amidst a mass of other notices.

The Danes erect large A boards at the entry to each pedestrianised area with clear instructions and images. Surely we can do the same for our many nonenglish speaking residents, who when I explain are happy to comply.

I wish the new task force every success but let us hope the councillors are out there on duty at least half a day a week to learn what the real problems are and help educate people.

Margaret Devitt

Bosham