'Common sense prevails' as Lybster crossing plan is shelved due to negative reception
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A Lybster resident is delighted that a "waste of money" safe crossing plan for the main road through the village has been mothballed by Highland Council.
The council's plans for a 'build-out uncontrolled pedestrian crossing point' in Lybster was deemed to be ill-conceived and based on shoddy evidence, with regard to road safety issues, by offshore worker Andrew Gunn.
Mr Gunn had written to Ross Bartlett, road safety technician at the council, to vent his feelings on the matter and compared the traffic calming measure to the ones built in Wick and Castletown which he says have proved unpopular and have had a "negative impact on road users".
In his objection, Mr Gunn states: "There is no evidence to my knowledge of speeding or accidents/injuries in this location to warrant this installation.
"The majority of footfall from/to the primary school is on the school side of the village, very few people cross to the other side, except those using the swing park or living in Young Crescent. Installing this will not add to road safety."
Mr Gunn mentioned the similar installations at Wick and Castletown, "some of which have since been removed due to being dangerous", and how these "half baked installations have had a negative impact on road users" with the one in Castletown, he claims, now being in an unsafe and unsightly condition.
"We have a small team of volunteers trying to keep the village tidy. Highland Council does not have the resources we want to maintain the village to our standard, I accept this. Installing this build-out will attract and collect grit, dirt, debris and weeds and will not be maintained by HC. This installation will make our village more unsightly."
He also thought that the signs earmarked for Village Road to warn about the upcoming build-out would also be unattractive features. "One of the beauties of Lybster is the long main street. Additional unnecessary street signage/furniture will detract from this."
Mr Gunn thought that the proposed installation could ironically lead to more accidents rather than avert them due to drivers of PSV vehicles being unable to carry out manoeuvres for safely picking up children. He also pointed out the proximity of a café to the build-out which could cause more issues for road users and could adversely affect the business.
He continued: "I also am amazed that this kangaroo consultation has taken place at a time when our Community Council has been disbanded for their elections.
"I believe this is a deliberate attempt by your department to railroad this decision through with minimal public consultation. A tick box exercise to achieve some department objective? I am aware of significant unhappiness that this eyesore is planned for our village – albeit not unanimous. Another vanity project thrust upon us by a team within the IV postcode area. Inverness gets the fancy River Ness works of art and we get a 6-inch blob of tar."
Mr Gunn condemned the council for wasting £600 on the initial plan for the "stupid ill thought out scheme" and said that money would be better spent on a zebra or pelican crossing "which is more instantly recognised and understood".
Though his objection to the plan was acknowledged by Highland Council, Mr Gunn failed to receive any updates for a number of weeks and penned a letter to the local authority that had various ward councillors copied in.
"As a council taxpayer and local citizen I would have hoped those who make decisions could have bothered a few minutes of their working day to formulate a response, even if it was not the response we/I were looking for.
"I believe that this stupid ill thought out scheme for Lybster village has now been binned, could someone please advise if this is the case or not?"
Ross Bartlett wrote back to him and blamed the tardy response on a "period of illness". In his letter he said that "due to the negative reception during consultation it has been decided not to progress with the works".
The road safety officer added: "The problems were raised by the school and the plans had been discussed with both the school and Community Council on a number of occasions prior to us carrying out public consultation and both were happy with them progressing to public consultation.
"Unfortunately, if we are approached with problems we would have another element in the community being negative because we did nothing – at least designing something and carrying out consultation allows everyone in the community their chance to be heard."
Mr Gunn thanked Mr Bartlett for his letter and told him he was "glad to hear that common sense has prevailed".
He added: "I will endeavour to keep an eye on these pre-consultations or consultations and will vigorously fight any which I – and a considerable number of people I have been speaking with – believe to be ill thought-out or in general, daft.
"The shambles that was installed in Castletown and in various parts of Wick are an embarrassment to those involved and I am pleased Lybster is not going down that route."
The controversial road crossing in Castletown was installed after concerns were raised about the safety of children accessing the play park in the centre of the village. Since then, it has been the site of a number of accidents and near misses, and there have been calls for a rethink about the road safety scheme.
