Crossing plan faces hold-up By Chris Kearney Comment Mick Haines and John Townsend at the junction of Marston Road and Old Marston Road Plans for a long awaited crossing on the Marston Road, Oxford, are being held up until funding can be found. Oxfordshire County Council has now agreed on a design for the crossing, near where pensioner Ray Brown was struck down in a hit and run accident in May. However, with competition for funding from similar schemes across the county, a question mark hangs over when the crossing will be installed. Mick Haines, of Croft Road, Marston, who has been campaigning since Mr Brown's accident, said he is confused by the turn of events. He said: "Having spoken to various people from the council, I had assumed the crossing was a done deal. "I'm very disappointed by this news, as are other people, and I only hope the funding comes through soon. advertisement." There are a lot of elderly people living on the Marston Road, and around this area, who are counting on that crossing. Each day that goes by runs the risk of another possible accident." Under new council plans, access to the shops on Old Marston Road from houses behind Crotch Crescent would be improved. A design previously revealed by the Oxford Mail, showed a raised pedestrian crossing, without pedestrian-controlled lights, north of the junction with Old Marston Road. The new plans, agreed by the council, would see a wider pedestrian island, raised paving and two areas of kerb realignment. The crossing will now be south of the Old Marston Road junction, which officers believe will make it safer. Again, there will be no pedestrian-controlled lights. Other Marston residents who spoke to the Oxford Mail said they were frustrated at the delay. Adele Stevens, 34, of Crotch Crescent, said: "When the local community throws its support behind an idea, the way it has with this crossing, then the council should sit up and pay attention." Roger Lowe, 70, of Marston Road, said: "It's all very well saying the work will be done, but without acommencement date it feels like something of a hollow victory." Ashley Prior, the council's deputy area engineer, said: " Having devised a scheme, we must now try to find funding. " This will not be an easy task as there are hundreds of similar schemes across Oxfordshire in competition for limited resources. At the moment there is no proposed start date" Mr Prior also said the scheme had not been influenced by Mr Brown's accident near the junction of Marston Road and Old Marston Road. He said: "This part of Oxford does not have a very high accident record at all. " 7:52pm Tuesday 7th August 2007
Mick Haines and John Townsend at the junction of Marston Road and Old Marston Road