VOLUNTEERS from Brighouse Road Safety Committee were out and about in the town centre on Saturday advising shoppers on the dangers of drink-driving – except the leaflets they were handing out were 12 months out-of-date.
Committee members have long felt they draw the short straw when it comes to support and encouragement from the powers-that-be at Calderdale Council and Saturday's experience would seem to bear this out.
The committee has gained a good reputation for
its hard work promoting road safety in the area and spreading the safe driving message but it feels increasingly that it is being left to get on with it. While the people of Brighouse appreciate their efforts, the council, it would appear, does not.
For the council not to draw on the expertise and experience of a group like Brighouse Road Safety Committee is shortsighted. The volunteers who sit on the committee are the eyes and ears of the community, listening to and passing on their worries and highlighting area of concern.
They have led numerous campaigns on speeding and have frequently drawn attention to safety concerns such as busy junctions, parking near schools and the need for pedestrian crossings.
It should not be too much to ask for Calderdale Council to give this group the reliable information it needs to spread the road safety message – and to take a more active part in helping them do it.
