I REALLYmust take issue with DJ Cook (Letters, December 13) in which he or she says it is all right for pedestrians to ignore the red light and cross the road even when traffic is passing.

Shirley High Street and Park Street is a major traffic junction, Park Street is NOT a side road and is governed by traffic lights both for traffic and pedestrians alike.

My earlier letter to the Echo clearly stated my case for bringing to task the rather silly family who crossed the road in front of me when the lights were in my favour. Rule 21 of the Highway Code states: “At traffic lights cross only when the green figure shows”.

Sorry to burst your bubble, DJ Cook, but how much clearer can the guidance be?

While I agree that pedestrians have a measure of priority in crossing an unmanaged side road at a junction, providing it is safe to do so, to say that they have every right to ignore traffic lights is wrong.

Yes, I understand it is frustrating to have to wait for lights to change in favour of pedestrians but the lights are there for a purpose and for the safety of ALL road users, not to pick and choose because a pedestrian cannot wait two minutes!

M CLEMENTS, Southampton.