BUS PROBLEMS

AFTER ignoring logical and common sense advice on the problem for the past few years, it would now seem that Darlington Borough Council recognises that there is a potentially dangerous situation of conflict between buses and pedestrians in the town centre and would seek to remedy the situation by using a voluntary code of conduct signed by the bus companies (Echo, May 11).

It's all very well signing a piece of paper, but maintaining and enforcing the code over a long period of time will be impossible. We all think that a more practical and positive approach would be to provide formal crossings similar to those in pedestrian areas of other towns.

But for reasons best known to itself, our council's answer to that idea is no - and without any reason given.

Why should the townsfolk have to accept this sort of attitude? The council owes the townsfolk an explanation on this point, so would the officer responsible categorically state why they will be not be providing any formal pedestrian crossings in the Pedestrian Heart?

It's a fair question and you must have the answer, so please enlighten us. - L Hume, Darlington.

I FEEL that Miss A Johnson's letter (HAS, Page 11, May 19) misses the point we "complainers" are making about the bus problems in Darlington.

We are not complaining about the buses - yes, we know they are bigger than us pedestrians - nor are we complaining about the timetables - a separate issue for some residents - nor are we complaining about the bus drivers, many of whom are as fed up as we are.

What we are complaining about is the total disregard that those in the "upper echelons" of Darlington Borough Council, who were elected by us, asked us what we wanted for the town, and then totally went in the opposite direction and gave us the monstrosity that is supposed to be pedestrianisation and the routing of the buses down Darlington's most narrow streets.

Yes, Miss Johnson, we complainers do have lives which we want to get on with without fear of being knocked down in what is supposed to be a pedestrianised area that is anything but. - Thelma Johnson, Darlington.