UK: too dangerous to let townswomen tend flowers around war memorial

The Women’s Institute in Shepperton, Middlesex, England, volunteered to tend the flowers around a war memorial on a traffic roundabout when budget cuts threatened elimination of the landscaping. “They were told by councillors that it would be too dangerous” to cross the road to the roundabout, although pedestrians traverse the same path in getting from one street to another. Telegraph]

5 Comments

  • Apparently the city council has mistaken women for a flock of chickens.

    Bob

  • I expect that the issue is not that it’s dangerous, but that if these people are on council-managed property engaged in council-ordered business and one of them gets hurt, then the council is legally liable for the injury.

  • @DensityDuck: Clearly, then, the answer to is have the land revert to the people and taken out of government control.

    Bring back the Commons!

  • Apparently you don’t understand the roundabout. Pedestrians do not normally cross to the island at any time; they are directed to go around the outside to reach other streets.

  • @DensityDuck: Couldn’t the Women’s Institute just do it anyway? Sounds like the council would be safe since it’s warned and the Women’s Institute would get to volunteer.