Sir, In reply to Ms Julie Martin's letter regarding the "Pink Carbuncles at Pedestrian Crossings" (May 3rd).. Their purpose is simply explained. They are to enable blind and visually impaired pedestrians to reliably locate the crossing by detecting a change in surface underfoot. As a Mobility Instructor for the Blind I can testify to their effectiveness and can confidently state that they have greatly aided orientation and peace of mind for a great many visually impaired people.
They are in widespread use in Ireland and the UK and were extensively tested by the Transport and Road Research Laboratory and found to cause minimum inconvenience to the majority of pedestrians - though I don't know the height of heels nor weight of shopping involved in these trials! Yours, etc.,
Irish Guide Dogs Association/Cork Access Group, Model Farm Road, Cork.