Road safety at your fingertips

Mar 27 2008 by Louise Dicks, Gwent Gazette

A BLIND Ebbw Vale man is able to cross the road safely thanks to a fact finding mission by his local councillor.

Lyndon Mathias has been registered blind since an accident he suffered working on an oil rig in the North Sea in the 1970s.

He was confused as to why the pelican crossings near Ex-Servicemen’s Club and the County Hotel in Ebbw Vale were not fitted with “bleeping” devices to let people know when it was safe to cross.

He approached Councillor Mostyn Lewis, who asked the highways department at Blaenau Gwent Council what they could do.

He was told that as the crossings spanned two carriageways it was not possible to install a noise, but that the lights were already fitted with a rubber device underneath the yellow box that helped people to cross.

The device needs to be turned and will then revolve in the user’s fingers when the red light is activated and traffic flow has stopped.

Now he wants to let other blind or partially-sighted people know.

Coun Lewis said: “When I spoke to highways I realised it was illogical to have a bleeping sound, but I never knew about these devices fitted underneath.

“I asked around 100 people in Ebbw Vale and no-one had heard of them, so I’d like it if blind and partially sighted people could be made aware of this safe way to cross.

“Sometimes very elderly people or people suffering with cataracts can find it difficult to cross.

“Lyndon came to me and I did my best to find out, that’s my job.”

Fifty one-year-old Mr Mathias, of Rassau, was left blind after an accident involving diesel burned the optic nerves in his eyes.

He says: “I was never aware of this device and I’ve spoken to lots of people since who are not aware of them either.

“I’m really pleased at what has come out of this and I hope it will help many other people.”