Craic On

Uncontrolled Crossing Point

I did notice a while back that the pedestrian crossing in Moville had disappeared. It was replaced by another bit of road that was different to the rest. Another new one was added up by the Foyle Hotel.

But what was it? Was it a new kind of pedestrian crossing that replaced the old one? Did pedestrians have the right of way? If they didn’t and drivers had the right of way what was the point of it?

I’m sure that lots of people in Moville thought the same and assumed that pedestrians had the right of way.

Incorrect

It seems that they haven’t, according to Mary McCauley.

These new entities are called Uncontrolled Crossing Points (probably referred to by those in the know as UCPs) and it seems that drivers have the right of way – as they have on every other bit of road which is not a pedestrian crossing.

Why?

I wonder why there was a sudden need to replace the only pedestrian crossing in Moville with, frankly, another bit of road.

What harm was the pedestrian crossing doing? Who thought we’d better fix that problem by getting rid of it? What was the problem?

Now, Moville has no pedestrian crossings at all despite having a main road running all the way to Derry and beyond.

Were People Asked?

Why did someone suddenly think “We’d better get rid of the pedestrian crossing in Moville”.

Was this something that the people wanted? Was it the townspeople of Moville who rose up and said “Get rid of the pedestrian crossing?”

I would doubt that very much.

Less Safe

Do mothers with young children and old people feel safer getting across the main road now that the pedestrian crossing has been replaced by the Orwellian sounding Uncontrolled Crossing Point?

People will wonder if there was some big business interest lobbying to get it removed.

Does anyone ever ask the people of a town what they actually want before they impose it on them?

I think I’ll put that questions to Enda Craig.