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Safety tips

From the Penarth Times, first published Thursday 28th Feb 2002.

REGARDING the glass doors at the Windsor Arcade.

I'm sure Lorraine Barrett would not have said the arcade doors were dangerous if she had not been told by several people that they thought so.

Mr Andrews claims no-one had walked into the doors "for some time". So someone has walked into them, then?

He also says planning permission was granted. It was granted for the multi-storey car park on the prom, too. So what?

As a matter of interest (and I am not trying to make a point here) was the arcade a right of way at one time?

This is an academic point, but was it?

Not to my knowledge have I ever seen a notice saying so, nor have I ever seen a brass plaque at the entrance.

Nor has the arcade ever been closed one day a year. I stand to be corrected. Perhaps it is not closed at night. If so, what are the doors for?

I agree automatic doors are a waste of time because they are always breaking down. I recognise the function of keeping the arcade draught-free and Mr Andrews says they have to be closed all the time.

He also says that the doors have to be kept closed in order to stop people walking into them when they are open.

This makes the argument for marking them even more relevant.

However I have noticed (unless the situation has been changed) that the doors are pushed open to, say, push a pram through and then they stay open.

Could not the edges of the doors be painted with a bright colour to prevent poorly-sighted people and toddlers walking into the edges?

The markings are already difficult enough to see against the clutter of Windsor Road shops opposite.

A final point. When running from an emergency, people are not going to read the signs saying pull or push.

Would it not have been more sensible to have the doors opening outwards for urgent exit, especially for wheelchair users and people with limited mobility?

Brian T Stephens Penarth.

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