Give us a safer way to cross this busy road

Aug 19 2009 by Judith Tonner, Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser

Give us a safer way to cross this busy road

RESIDENTS at Carnbroe care home are campaigning to have a pedestrian crossing installed on the busy main road outside the complex.

They experience regular difficulty in trying to make their way across Paddock Street, with a 15-strong group facing the hazardous trip each morning in order to attend mass at nearby St Stephen’s Church.

Now the residents’ committee at the home is calling on North Lanarkshire Council to introduce safety measures on a road which forms a main route between the M8 at Eurocentral and Airdrie town centre.

Care home manager Alison Simpson said: “The residents are saying that enough is enough with this issue as the road is really dangerous and they’re going to feel even more unsafe when winter comes.

“There should at least be a warning triangle indicating that there are elderly people crossing, but the residents want a pedestrian crossing and we completely agree with them.

“It’s a really bad road and although some drivers are quite understanding and do slow down, many vehicles go up and down the street like nobody’s business.

“There are 72 residents at the home and this affects all of them – this is their home and they should feel safe here and when they’re going out.

“We were put in touch with John Higgins, the Coatbridge South councillor, and he supports what we’re saying but although we wrote to the council’s roads department in March, we’ve never heard any more.”

North Lanarkshire Council have promised to get in contact with the Carnbroe residents and look into their request.

Willie McAlpine, the council’s senior officer for traffic and transport, said: “We will write to the group and carry out a feasibility study into the need for signage or a pedestrian crossing.”