Shawbury call for pedestrian crossing rejected

Proposals for a pedestrian crossing on a main road have been shelved in a Shropshire village because of "safety issues", it emerged today.

Shropshire Council has turned down fresh calls for a new crossing over the A53 in Shawbury and say it is "unlikely" one will be introduced in the future.

It comes despite fears that more children will have to cross the road to get to school when one of the village's two schools closes as part of a countywide education shake-up.

Shawbury Parish Cou-ncil has long called for an extra pedestrian crossing on Drayton Road between the shops and Co-operative supermarket.

But after assessing the site, highways officials at Shirehall say it is unsuitable for a crossing or a mirror to aid pedestrians. However, Shropshire Council has said it will look at improved signage to aid pedestrians in the centre of the village.

Jack Wilson, parish clerk, said: "We approached Shropshire Council a few years ago about putting in a new crossing but they said they couldn't because the location was close to bends in the road and because there are traffic lights just a few yards away. Now we've had people asking what action can be taken to make it safer to cross between the shops.

"The council said they've looked at putting up a mirror by the Elephant and Castle pub, but they say none of these measures will improve matters.

"It will have to be looked at again when they make their mind up which school to close as the circumstances could be different by then."

The village has a traffic-light controlled pedestrian crossing at the junction of Drayton Road and Wem Road. When education chiefs shut one of the schools, it is expected more children from one side of the village will have to cross the road to get to school as the A53 cuts Shawbury in two.

David Gradwell, Shropshire Council's north area highways engineer, said: "We are currently investigating the provision of improved signage in this area to help improve safety and to make motorists more aware that there may be pedestrians crossing ahead."

He added: "It is unlikely we could progress a scheme for the introduction of a pedestrian crossing at this location in the future."

By Tom Johannsen