WHO can remember when the A12 used to run through the centre of Lowestoft?From Kirkley you would travel down London Road South, passing St John's Church, over the old bridge which, I seem to recall, was open more often than the new one, into the Station Square which boasted Tuttles and the Suffolk Hotel, up past the Odeon Cinema and … well, you get the picture don't you?The good old days? No, I don't think the old street was safer back then.

WHO can remember when the A12 used to run through the centre of Lowestoft?

From Kirkley you would travel down London Road South, passing St John's Church, over the old bridge which, I seem to recall, was open more often than the new one, into the Station Square which boasted Tuttles and the Suffolk Hotel, up past the Odeon Cinema and … well, you get the picture don't you?

The good old days? No, I don't think the old street was safer back then.

“What?” I hear you cry. “You don't like our pedestrian friendly, vehicle free, zones?”

Ah! It's the hoodies, you rationalize. “Do they make you nervous? I'm sure there's nobody in half of them.”

No, it's not them. In fact it's more the older people. Now I can tell you're confused. I'll explain.

I liked it when traffic was on the road and pedestrians were on the path. You knew where you stood. Stand in the road and chances are you'll get hit by a truck.

Today, when I took up the gauntlet across Station Square, I could have been hit three times if I hadn't had my wits about me.

One was a boy on a cycle, who seemed to regard me and a number of other pedestrians as irritating hurdles in a cross country course, but the other two culprits were elderly and in motorized buggies.

They appear to function under the delusion that it is our responsibility to get out of their way.

So that's cycles back on the road where they belong please and a courtesy eye test for anyone allowed behind the controls of a disability vehicle, please.

G A WOODS

London Road South

Lowestoft