A POLITICAL row has erupted after ruling Labour councillors refused to consider a pedestrian crossing on Banks Road, West Kirby, as a means to help elderly and disabled residents and other pedestrians crossing the busy shopping thoroughfare.

John Hale, leader of the Conservative Group and a Hoylake Ward councillor, says he is "disgusted" about the decision by the Highways & Technical Services Committee.

"The Labour Group, by refusing this, in spite of a petition signed by more than 120 people, have shown utter contempt for the residents of West Kirby," he said.

"West Kirby has one of the highest averages for elderly people in the Borough and a pedestrian crossing should be a necessity as an aid to movement of them."

Coun Hale added: "This is just another example of Labour refusing to spend money in the Deeside area, especially when you consider that in other reports to the Highways & Technical Services Committee, local safety schemes have been identified for pedestrian crossings for roads which can only be described as minor shopping thoroughfares when you compare them to Banks Road.

"The only difference appears to be that those other roads are in Labour areas. Once more, Labour are making decisions based on political bigotry rather than consideration for the elderly, disabled and other pedestrians."

But Coun Harry Smith, Labour Chair of the Highways and Technical Services Committee, strenuously defended the decision.

"While we have refused to implement putting a crossing in at the moment, we have agreed to monitor the situation," he said. "Although there had been four accidents in the last 36 months, there was no discernible pattern why they took place. The petition was actually signed by 201 people, not 120. While I sympathise with elderly and disabled people, we did not feel a crossing was justified

"Banks Road is such a long road, there was no place where you can justify putting a pedestrian crossing; the officers noted there were a number of flow gaps in the traffic to enable people to cross safely."

He added: "If Coun Hale feels we are being political in our decision, he should complain to the Ombudsman - we do not make political decisions when it comes to the safety of people."Coun Smith pointed out that the guidelines for provision of a pedestrian crossing were issued by a Conservative government, not the Labour administration. "We have allowed a pedestrian crossing outside Pensby Boys' School and that is not a Labour area," he said.

Coun Mrs Chris Kevan, Conservative spokesman for Highways & Technical Services, had moved the recommendation in support of the inclusion of a pedestrian crossing in the 1998-99 Traffic Signal Programme. "It is disgraceful that this had been rejected," she said.

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