COUNCILLORS BACK PEDESTRIAN CROSSING FOR DANGEROUS SECTION OF MANCHESTER ROAD (Kirklees Liberal Democrats)

Kirklees Liberal Democrats <info@kirkleeslibdems.org.uk>

COUNCILLORS BACK PEDESTRIAN CROSSING FOR DANGEROUS SECTION OF MANCHESTER ROAD

October 7, 2009 9:14 PM

Colne Valley Councillors back pedestrian crossing for dangerous section of Manchester Rd

Kirklees is proposing to provide a puffin crossing on a dangerous section of Manchester Road.

Kirklees is proposing to provide a puffin crossing on a dangerous section of Manchester Road (just above Slaithwaite village) in response to residents' and councillors' continuous concerns about pedestrian safety.

The section of the highway is outside the Star Public House, 15 meters north of where Commercial Street joins with the A62 Manchester Road.

Despite the existence of an underpass, residents have expressed a clear preference for being able to cross over the road as opposed to under it: a view which is supported by their Councillors.

Cllr Nicola Turner, Lib Dem Member for Colne Valley Ward, said:

"This section of Manchester Road is heavily used and next to a busy intersection of roads which make it very difficult to get across safely. The doctors surgery and the local shop is at one side while the star public house and Slaithwaite village is at the other; so making certain people are confident and safe getting across the road has to be a high priority. There is an underpass and we have tried to make this as safe and attractive as possible but I can understand that people would prefer not to disappear into the darkness of a tunnel out of view when they want to get across the road.

There have been accidents here in the past involving pedestrians - one I remember which was fatal - so there is a clear need to establish a proper over-ground crossing place and we're happy the council has listened.

We are supportive of the proposal but would encourage people to come forward with any comments by the closing date of the public consultation".

The official notice is to be printed in the Examiner on 8 October with the closing period of representations ending on November 5th.

Any person wishing to make comment should write to the below quoting ref DEV/BP/D124-138:

Susan Betteridge

Head of Legal Services

Second Floor

Civic Centre III

Huddersfield

HD1 2TG