Call for ‘rainbow’ crossing step too far for councillors

PLANS to install a permanent rainbow coloured pedestrian crossing on a road in Totnes have been blocked by councillors.

The Totnes Rainbow Crossing Action Group has been working on establishing a permanent rainbow crossing in Totnes following the success of the temporary crossing for the town’s pride event in 2014.

The crossing, which was located outside St Mary’s Church in the high street, was removed after the Pride event.

The South Hams Highways and Traffic Orders Committee (HATOC) in 2017 had welcomed the suggestion for colour enhancement to be added to one or two crossings in Totnes.

But a meeting saw officers and councillors agree that a rainbow crossing on the highway was not something they could support – but were keen to see a crossing located around the town hall.

Highways manager John Fewings said: “We looked at a number of sites around the town, but we had some concerns about a crossing on the highway could be seen as ambiguous and people might not be sure what it was.”

Cllr Roger Croad, chairman of the South Hams HATOC, added: “A crossing on a road would cause confusion. I am completely against it.”

Cllr Julian Brazil added that the committee should send a strong message that allowing a rainbow crossing on the road should not be allowed, but that a crossing in the Civic Square should be favoured.

Mr Fewings said that they had looked at the area at Market Square around the Civic Hall, but the town council had said that it wouldn’t fit into the refurbishment plans for the area for “aesthetic reasons”.

Although other cities, including London, Brighton and Sydney, have had temporary multi-coloured crossings, it had been hoped that Totnes would have been the first in Europe to make it permanent. Vancouver in Canada already has a permanent rainbow crossing.

The point of the rainbow colours of the crossing would be to celebrate the full spectrum of diversity in Totnes and send out a message to LGBTQIA+ people in Devon and beyond, that they are not alone.

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