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We live by UK’s ‘most DANGEROUS’ crossing – we took matters into our own hands but council still aren’t doing enough
RESIDENTS who live by the UK's "most DANGEROUS" crossing say they have taken matters into their own hands but claim the council still aren't doing enough.
Work starts on Monday to replace the zebra crossing on Horton Grange Road, in Bradford, West Yorkshire, with pedestrian activated traffic lights after a catalogue of accidents were captured on CCTV.
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And though the safety improvement is being welcomed by campaigners, another zebra crossing - where several accidents have also occurred - is to stay because Bradford Council is allegedly short of funds.
Both crossings are near to two primary schools and a mosque and are used regularly throughout the day.
Mohammad Haleem, 45, owns Spencer Foods near to the danger crossing and helped organise a petition and gather evidence to prove it wasn't safe.
Dad-of-five Mohammad said: "The campaign was all about trying to save lives and we are glad that we are finally going to get the pelican crossing here.
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"But there is a zebra crossing just up the road, which also really bad, and they both need sorting out really.
"You have school kids regularly using both crossing points.
"I feel the new pelican crossing will solve the problem here because the drivers and pedestrians will have the visual aids of traffic lights and green men and also the bleeps.
"It should cut out 90 per cent of the accidents that are going on here at the moment, but the old and the young are still fearful of the crossing up the road. It's like playing Russian roulette.
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"To be honest, I don't think that zebra crossings should be anywhere in the country. I have had the problem as a driver and a pedestrian.
"I have almost been hit by a car when walking and I've had to slam on my brakes as a driver when someone has stepped out without looking.
"Nationally, all zebra crossings need to go, so that both sides of the traffic see the lights and stop, rather than one side stopping and the other carrying on. It will save lives."
Taxi driver Tahir Zeb, 53, lives next to the zebra crossing which is being replaced and set up CCTV five years ago - at a cost of £1,800 - to capture accidents on camera as evidence to place before the council.
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"The council refused to put up their own CCTV cameras so I did it myself to show how many accidents were taking place on the crossing," said Tahir.
"With a pelican crossing there it will mean that if the lights are at red, and a pedestrian is hit, it will be the driver's fault. At the moment it is 50-50 to who is to blame.
"You have children running across and not looking both sides at the moment.
"The zebra crossing up the road is a horror as well, it is dangerous, but the council does not have enough money to sort out that one.
"They were supposed to get both of them done, but it is costing £120,000 just to do this one.
"The council should be doing the other one as well."
Mohammed Saim, 62, was using the crossing that is going to remain a zebra.
He said: "I think the council need to turn this one into a pelican crossing as well.
"There are children using this every day to get to school and back and it is dangerous."
Disabled peoples' escort Abdul Sattar, 56, having just used the zebra crossing, said: "I use this every day, as do the kids, and kids have been knocked down here two times.
"People could die here if the council doesn't put a pelican crossing here as well.
"There was an accident here just a couple of months ago."
Mudafir Khan, 32, used the crossing with his son Rayan, four, and said: "We use this crossing regularly and there have been accidents here.
"I have concerns about my little boy growing up here and having to use this crossing."
Councillor Alex Ross-Shaw, Bradford Council's executive member for regeneration, planning and transport, said: "This zebra crossing has recently been the scene of several incidents where drivers have failed to stop for those crossing the road and new crossing with traffic lights should make it safer.
"We have prioritised this scheme for progression and the funding has been identified.
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"Now that the necessary statutory process has been undertaken and a suitable contractor has been secured, work can commence."
Work to alter one of the zebra crossings is set to start on October 9 and should be completed by November 5.
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