Letter: Time to make our pavements safer

Leaping back into my home saved me from the eight-wheeler lorry passing my home... ON THE PAVEMENT.

This is not an unusual occurrence, but, when the traffic was still all over the place some 15 minutes later, I reached for my camera.

This is to forestall excuses from the council and highways department that there is not a problem.

I might add that pedestrians trying to use the pavement past my home at the time, including one lady with a toddler and another young mother with a pram, were put in fear for their own safety and that of the children.

On the other hand, if the congestion clears, then our alternative in Ruswarp is shown by a recent traffic census taken on the village High Street showing more than half cars, lorries and other vehicles travelling through Ruswarp are exceeding the speed limit.

Perhaps when a pedestrian is seriously hurt or killed, someone among our leaders may just think they should do something to protect residents and visitors from these dangerous situations.

After all, money was finally found to remove the dangerous chicanes at Briggswath, not following the accidents they have caused, but to give easier travel for the Tour De Yorkshire, a really sad comment on the priorities of those entrusted with safeguarding the public.

Derek J Lee

High Street

Ruswarp