Letter: Bikes, walkers and cars claim right of way
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Sir: Barrie Clement (" `Museum Alley' will allow cars and pedestrians to live together", 1 February) says that pedestrians "are to be given the right to walk [on roads] where they want, when they want". Pedestrians have had that right for centuries; it has been curtailed not by legislation but by motorists' belief that they take precedence over non-motorised highway users.
The "kerb-drill" we were taught has made us think we can drive oblivious to pedestrians, whose place is to stand obsequiously at the kerb nervously eyeing the traffic, scurrying furtively across like small prey when a gap occurs; and that it is a sin against creation for a walker to impede a motorist. It is to be hoped that the Exhibition Road experiment will go some way to correcting this.
We doubt it will, though. Our trunk roads are crossed on the level at hundreds of locations by lesser highways such as footpaths and bridleways, whose users are "protected" by "Pedestrians Crossing" signs. These make not the slightest impression on traffic speeds. Hope for improvement glimmered in 2000 when the Highways Agency promised pounds 250m for a programme of safer crossing-points. Then in 2004 they withdrew it; unfortunate, when 14 pedestrians die on our roads each week.
JACQUETTA FEWSTER
Director of Campaigns
The Ramblers' Association
London SE1
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments