Sir,

This letter is in response to your leading article (Tenby Observer, April 21), in which members of the Town Council appear to suggest waiting to see if the new bus stop causes any problems!

As an elderly non-driver, I don’t profess to be too aware of the pros and cons of the new roundabout in the Narberth Road, but I am utterly horrified by the new crossings for pedestrians. I can’t bring myself to call them ‘pedestrian crossings’, as they are, at best, sadly lacking and, at worst, extremely dangerous. The dropped kerbs have been placed to indicate a crossing, but there is no indication to traffic, or possibly legal obligation for drivers, to give way to the pedestrian.

Crossing the road as a pedestrian from the Upper Hill Park and Lady Park exits has always been a somewhat hair-raising experience, but now you could call it a life-threatening prospect.

Previously, the crossing island by the ‘Three Houses’ was in exactly the right position, allowing enough distance from the oncoming traffic to make a safe crossing. Now, with the new island much nearer the roundabout, the pedestrian is faced with cars coming from not one, but two directions, that is, from the Narberth Road traffic and the roundabout traffic.

This traffic arrives at the new crossing at a much higher speed, allowing the pedestrian very little time to decide whether or not to cross, particularly when there is no indication to pedestrian or driver as to when it is safe to do so.

I found attempting to cross at the ‘new’ original bus stop, towards Upper Hill Park, even more dangerous. I waited a considerable time before I felt that it was safe to cross, because the traffic came speeding around the corner, with some drivers quite possibly unaware that once around that corner they would face people trying to cross and a bus stop.

There was plenty of traffic that day and this was well before the summer onslaught of visitors and their cars.

Again, there is no indication to the pedestrian as to when it is safe and no obligation on the part of the driver to allow people to cross. As this bus stop is in completely the wrong place, far too near the corner, the obvious solution would seem to be to move it elsewhere. There is already a lay-by there, which would surely provide a solution. Or what possible objection could there be to making the temporary bus stop at Lady Park permanent? I, personally, have found using this ideal, not only because it is nearer to my home, but because I found it easier and marginally safer to cross.

When I attempted to cross at the new bus stop, I felt as if I was taking my life into my hands. As a normally cautious person, I feel that even someone practising caution would not necessarily be able to avoid a serious accident.

This situation is courting disaster and something must be done urgently before there is a fatality.

Jennifer Richards,

Tenby.