Carluke woman’s crusade on behalf of the elderly

The crusade mounted by Mrs Iris Richardson of Old Lanark Road centres on the time given to the elderly and infirm to negotiate pedestrian crossings.

She claims that official guidelines on adequate crossing times are wrong and that senior citizens are being seriously short-changed on the `green man’ signal time they are given.

To back her claims, she has some very impressive evidence - provided by experts from University College London!

Through her own experience trying to negotiate controlled pedestrian crossings throughout Clydesdale, she became convinced that the time allowed for anyone but the youngest and fittest pedestrian was far too short.

She took this up initially with the police and has now asked the Gazette to take the matter further with the roads authority, South Lanarkshire Council.

In the past when the Gazette has raised this issue with the council, it has replied that its crossing timings are based on nationally-recognised safety guidelines.

However Iris - and the London academics - claim that it is these very guidelines which are wrong and are putting elderly and disabled people at needless risk of being run down.

For more on this story pick up a copy of the Carluke Gazette which is in the shops now.