Leeds Council ignores additional crossings on main roads

Councillors Andrew and Amanda Carter (Con, Calverley and Farsley) feel disappointed after reading a report published by Leeds City Council this month.

It outlined there would be no new pedestrian crossings in the next year on Carr Road, in Calverley, Coal Hill Lane, in Farsley, Rodley Lane, near Brookfield and Lidget Hill in Pudsey.

Both councillors had pushed the Highways Department of the council to have additional crossings in these locations.

Cllr Andrew Carter said: “The Council seems to be wasting millions of pounds of Government money on all sorts of transport schemes, yet an easy and relatively cheap way of creating more safe walking is to provide safe measures such as zebra crossings."

Both councillors feel those who know their wards best are not being listened to and used Carr Road, in Calverley, as an example of this.

Cllr Andrew Carter said: "Official statistics may say there is no demand for crossings at these locations, but we know our ward.

"This is one of the reasons why we pushed for facilities on Carr Road not far from bus stops on either side of the road.

"We are disappointed that they have not been selected this year, but we will continue to work for better road safety measures all across the ward."

Cllr Amanda Carter, added: "I have said before that pedestrian safety in our ward is a key priority.

"We are supposed to be encouraging more people to walk, and to make this safer for elderly residents, but also to encourage walking to school means we need extra facilities to enable people to cross the road safely.

"The Council should suspend its arcane crossing formula and listen to local councillors and residents."

The specific locations of the proposed pedestrian crossings are as follows:

• Carr Road (east of Fraser Road)
• Carr Road (east of St. Stephen’s Road)
• Rodley Lane (by Brookfield Avenue)
• Lidget Hill (junction with Cemetery Road), Pudsey