WHEN I read the article in the Echo about the gentleman who painted his own zebra crossing my first reaction was to check that it was not April 1.

The response from the authorities was as expected and reflects the situation that exists with common sense being nowhere to be seen.

Mr Phillips must have been pushed to extremes by the lack of response from the council and his action to paint his own version of a zebra crossing must have been a last resort.

From the picture in the Echo it looks as though he made a good job of it, perhaps the council could use him for further projects.

He is now the owner of a community resolution order, whatever that is, and out of pocket with a fine of £130.

Might I suggest that this could have been dealt with in another way.

What he did was wrong but not a crime of major significance.

Could the police and council have sat down with Mr Phillips and agreed with him to remove at his own cost the painting on the road and, at the same time given that the council would be in attendance, for them to agree to seriously consider his request to provide an official crossing in that location.

That would have saved time of the police and costs and everybody involved would come out as winners.

It was interesting to read in the same edition of the Echo in the section “In the Dock” the case of a lady found guilty of assaulting a police officer by beating and fined £92. Says it all.

A BURDEN
Catalina Drive. Poole