FOLLOWING my letter (April 12) about the new traffic lights not helping the blind people to cross the road at the bottom of Boot Hill, I phoned a number that was supplied by Peter Finney, cabinet member for highways and transport for Dorset County Council.

I asked the same question as I did in the Echo: ‘How do blind people know when to cross the road now that there is no bleep any more?’ His answer may be useful to you, or not, but this is it.

Now that there are three crossing points fairly close at this junction, a blind person could hear any one of these bleeps, and not be sure which one was operating.

Therefore, the audio signal has been replaced by a cone shaped spindle under the box with the crossing button on it.

If you hold this spindle after pressing the button, as soon as the green light shows, the spindle slowly rotates, indicating that it is safe to cross.

I have tried it and it works, so I have to accept that he is probably right. Hope this helps everyone else that was unaware of this like me.

Brian Hutchings, Newstead Road, Weymouth