A LONG campaign to upgrade a busy pedestrian crossing - prompted by a spate of near-misses - will result in a study being carried out to assess its feasibility.
Coun Andy Wray, who represents the Rockingham ward, has campaigned in order to change Sheffield Road’s zebra-style crossing into a puffin alternative in Birdwell.
Puffins are light-controlled whereas the current zebra one is uncontrolled, meaning pedestrians are often at the mercy of motorists.
This has led to several near-misses recently and Coun Wray said urgent action is needed.
He added: “I recently met with two council highways officers and Coun James Higginbottom to discuss the upgrade.
“I gave each person a document pack that I’d produced with the help of a number of Birdwell residents over the last few weeks.
“It was well-received and initially the council agreed to do traffic surveys and share the figures.
“The A61 is very busy and it’s now our job to try and find a solution to prevent any fatalities.
“This wouldn’t have been possible without residents doing their bit.”
