Seven Dials roundabout plan labelled ‘discriminatory’ (From The Argus)
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Seven Dials roundabout plan labelled ‘discriminatory’
4:50pm Monday 14th January 2013 in News By Tim Ridgway, Local government reporter
An artist's impression of how the Seven Dials could look
Planned changes to a controversial junction are “dangerous and discriminatory”, according to disabled campaigners.
Brighton and Hove City Council unveiled its revamped plans to transform Seven Dials roundabout last week.
The local authority claims its plans will make the junction safer for all users.
However, disability champions claim the proposal to take away barriers and replace “green man” controlled crossings with zebra crossings will put the vulnerable people at “significant risk” as they will not be able to tell when it is safe to cross.
Jon Hastie, of the Fed Centre for Independent living, which is run by disabled people in Brighton and Hove, said: “At the worst, this could lead to serious accidents involving blind pedestrians. At best, blind and visually impaired pedestrians will avoid the area completely.
“We feel this proposal is dangerous and discriminatory and that these concerns have not been adequately recognised by officers.
“We believe the council is opening itself up to legal challenges which could be a completely avoidable waste of taxpayers’ money.”
Among the changes include widening the roundabout to five metres across and changing both north and south approaches in Dyke Road into single lanes rather than the current two lanes.
Residents' concerns
Ian Davey, the chairman of the council’s transport committee, said: “We understand that some residents remain concerned about potential displacement of traffic.
“While studies show this to be unlikely we will make a commitment that should their fears be realised measures will be taken to address any problems.”
A report to the authority’s transport committee said 67% of 660 residents – 440 people – responding to a public consultation supported the main change to the roundabout.
Experts rejected claims from residents that it would lead to neighbouring streets becoming rat runs, adding their computer transport model showed delays would “not appreciably increase”.
Petition against
But Dave Evans, of Addison Road, Hove, who helped collect nearly 1,400 signatures against the original scheme, said: “With about 14,000 voters in Goldsmid ward, how can 440 people be ‘overwhelming’?
“The Seven Dials is in urgent need of a makeover. But this has been railroaded through.
“How can you argue with a computer programme you have no access to?”
A decision will be taken at the council’s transport committee meeting tomorrow (January 15).
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Comments(13)
upsidedowntuctuc
says...
5:29pm Mon 14 Jan 13
Lovely picture of one car and one pedestrian on a sun soaked day..
No railings? They are mad !
The Fed have a good point and will have many more members once a few jay walkers run across the roundabout!
anubis
says...
6:21pm Mon 14 Jan 13
The sub-group that was most consistent in giving the Scheme its full support was the group of those "passing through" rather than resident! (for example respondents may have lived in Henfield!) Just one illustration of the subterfuge used to justify the Council's misuse of statistics (A subject I taught for many years at several levels up to and including post graduate -- Ian Davey's 'arguments' would fail a GCSE examination).
The petition signatures were taken by knocking on EVERY door -- people living in nearby streets; still not a proper 'representative' sample, but surely getting very close to it.
Yes, the council case could not be more flawed -- but it'll pass through the Transport Committee; Ian Davey was sure about that and told us so, a month ago. His promise to monitor streets afterwards is another sham -- when the expected congestion occurs, do you REALLY believe the Council would contemplate putting it all back as it was ???
mimseycal
says...
7:06pm Mon 14 Jan 13
So do we have to wait till a visually impaired person is run over? What happened to prevention is better than cure. And how many injuries and how serious do these injuries have to be before you look at the cure? Would it require the death of a visually impaired individual or will you settle for just a serious injury requiring life support?
archer29
says...
8:44pm Mon 14 Jan 13
k go to Council&Democracy then e-petitions). There will also be a paper version. It will be presented to the Council before the Transport Committee on March 5th to back up the massive petition that has already been presented to the Council!
trystero
says...
10:32pm Mon 14 Jan 13
ARealBessie
says...
12:10am Tue 15 Jan 13
Otherwise its the same contempt for local residents, the same disregard for statutory obligations (such as Equalities and H+S), the same manipulation of data and statistics to give the illusion of a democratic mandate (a necessary box to tick in order to gain public funding...)
This council lies and cheats, the people know it lies and cheats, and the council knows that the people know, but goes brazenly ahead and does whatever it wants to do anyway.
And, it will continue to be thus until/unless our local politicians and journo's start holding the council's top jobsworths to account (as its out of these brain cells most of these schemes first emerge.)
Phani Tikkala
says...
7:27am Tue 15 Jan 13
That's what happens when ideology (the Greens' insane desire to reduce the number of cars on the road at whatever cost) runs amok. Cue more bust businesses, more annoyed residents, more angry car drivers, less visitors, less income to the council, higher council tax for residents, years for the next administration to put things right, money down the drain etc. etc..
Meanwhile the opposition sits by idly watching the Greens commit political suicide
Surely not!
says...
10:14am Tue 15 Jan 13
Dezire
says...
12:09pm Tue 15 Jan 13
Taking away those stupid barriers is the best idea ever!
At present one has to perform a half mile round trip to cross the **** round about on foot. With the barriers I can finally just run across the road when there is no traffic about.
Sooner the better if you ask me!
archer29
says...
12:32pm Tue 15 Jan 13
Bob_The_Ferret
says...
1:10pm Tue 15 Jan 13
Dezire wrote:It's because people like you who do "just run across the road" taking no responsibility for their own safety and the children who will copy you that railing are needed in some places to encourage proper use of the controlled crossings.
I love the councils proposal!
Taking away those stupid barriers is the best idea ever!
At present one has to perform a half mile round trip to cross the **** round about on foot. With the barriers I can finally just run across the road when there is no traffic about.
Sooner the better if you ask me!
When you get run over yourself, or when you cause an accident by forcing vehicles to stop suddenly you'll be the first to blame everyone but yourself.
Surely not!
says...
3:40pm Tue 15 Jan 13
Bob_The_Ferret wrote:What a daft response Bob.
Dezire wrote:It's because people like you who do "just run across the road" taking no responsibility for their own safety and the children who will copy you that railing are needed in some places to encourage proper use of the controlled crossings.
I love the councils proposal!
Taking away those stupid barriers is the best idea ever!
At present one has to perform a half mile round trip to cross the **** round about on foot. With the barriers I can finally just run across the road when there is no traffic about.
Sooner the better if you ask me!
When you get run over yourself, or when you cause an accident by forcing vehicles to stop suddenly you'll be the first to blame everyone but yourself.
falmer seagull says...
5:02pm Mon 14 Jan 13