As one of the people who put forward the petition to Keep the Zebra crossing in the Historic Core Zone, I must answer some of the points made by Gerald Milward-Oliver in last week’s Wiltshire Times.

In showing people the petition, I made clear that the HCZ substituted five courtesy crossings on Market Street in place of the one zebra crossing. Not only did over 1700 people carry on and sign up to keep the zebra, some gave me detailed feedback. Every parent except one I spoke to said they did not believe cars would stop at a courtesy crossing. I especially want to include the cutting handed to me from the March edition of the WI magazine, which includes the following: “So-called shared spaces, or shared surfaces, are the flavour of the month with planning officers dealing with new road layouts. They are being introduced quietly all over the country and also being built into existing traffic arrangements...Courtesy crossings require pedestrians to make eye contact with drivers – impossible for blind and some partially sighted people...be very vigilant in your areas and continue to ask difficult questions such as ‘How will a blind person cross the road?’”

Gerald has revealed the cost: a £2.5m injection of funds to improve the Bradford on Avon pedestrian experience, but surely it must give value for that hard-won money? The HCZ will not mean that the Lorry Watch volunteers can rest easy, it will not reduce the volume of traffic, no-one can say whether it will make the flow of vehicles smooth or jolted, it will not supply more parking spaces to help the businesses, there is no reference to flood defences or other extreme weather.

A public consultation exercise took place a year ago. By far most comments were critical. Despite this, the Area Board and the Town Council passed the plans. Some modifications have been made, such as making the courtesy crossings in dark grey and white stripes. Now there is an opportunity for public comment again, on the Traffic Regulation Orders for the Restricted Parking Zone. Readers can see the plans in the library, at County Hall, or online at www.wiltshire.gov.uk/council/troconsultations.htm. I urge your readers who drive or walk through Bradford on Avon to have a look and send their comments in without delay (closing date April 7, 2014).

Kate Nottage, Whitehill, Bradford on Avon.