I REFER to John Sumner's letter (Journal Mailbox, April 15), concerning the non-working pelican crossing indicator on Leigh Road, Leigh, outside the White Lion pub.

Mr Sumner states that the council is 'not doing its duty to the elderly and infirm people of Leigh'.

A few years ago I introduced to the borough of Wigan, through the Metro's Access Committee, rotating cones.

A rotating cone is a thimble shaped device fitted to the underside of the yellow push button box; it is held between finger and thumb and rotates when the 'green man' is showing and it's safe to cross.

They are used, when an audible 'bleep' cannot be used, such as where it causes a nuisance, a dual carriageway or multiple crossing points. Here, a blind or partially sighted person cannot tell which part of the crossing is safe to cross because they cannot see the 'green man'.

My wife and I tried both crossings on April 16 and found that the rotating cones were working perfectly. Mr Sumner, please get your facts right.

As I have had both eyes removed, I think I qualify for knowing what a blind person requires.

The rotating cone can be found on other pelican crossings in Leigh, Atherton, Tyldesley, and throughout the rest of Wigan borough.

Frank Parkinson

A Member of WMBC's Access for the Disabled committee

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