Crossing will be safer (From Witney Gazette)

Crossing will be safer

4:44pm Tuesday 1st May 2007 in Headlines By Tim Hughes

AN underpass, described as 'unsafe and unpleasant' is to be replaced with a new pedestrian crossing.

The subway in Wycombe Way, Carterton, is unpopular with people in the town, and has become an ongoing maintenance problem for Oxfordshire County Council, which is responsible for its upkeep.

A spokesman for the county council said: "It is both unsafe and unpleasant to use, can be vulnerable to flooding, and has been subjected to vandalism - particularly to its lights."

The council plans to work on the project during the school summer holidays to minimise disruption. The project will require occasional road closures, to allow work to be carried out safely, though the road will largely remain open.

Ian Hudspeth, Oxfordshire County Council's cabinet member for transport implementation, said: "This is a well-used subway, but there have been continued problems that have led us to think that an overground crossing should be created.

"People simply don't feel safe using a subway where lights sometimes aren't working and vandals have been at work."

Mayor of Carterton, Phil Scott, welcomed the news, but raised concerns over placing a pedestrian crossing on what is a curved stretch of the road. He said: "The subway is unpopular, particularly at night due to the fear of crime.

"It is difficult to maintain, floods and gets hit by graffiti, so no one wants to use it.

"But I have my doubts over the crossing. We need to make it safe for people to cross this major road.

"It would have been better on a straight piece of road - though that is difficult as there isn't a straight stretch on it."

Mr Scott (Conservative) is one of the candidates standing on Carterton Town Council's Upavon ward. The other candidates are Adrian Coomber (Conservative), Brian Crossland (Conservative), Norman MacRae (Conservative), and Paul Wesson (Independent).

The election for the ward, and for West Oxfordshire District Council's Carterton North East ward, have been postponed following the death of the late Keith Stone, who was also a candidate.