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Published:
June 28, 2006
Zebra crossing cash row rumbles on in Burnham-On-Sea
A
row over the lack of funding for new pedestrian crossings in Burnham-On-Sea
stepped up this week when
a County Councillor was told there is no money for small road
improvements in the town.
 Burnham-On-Sea.com
reported earlier this
month how town councillors had lashed out at roads bosses
after learning that money earmarked for two planned pedestrian
crossings had been taken away.
The
news angered councillors in Burnham, including County Councillor
Mike Facey, who this week took up the fight direct with council
bosses.
"I
brought up the subject at a special liaison meeting at Sedgemoor
District Council. Despite explaining the need for these pedestrian
crossings, I was told that the Council is only currently able
to fund large projects in towns and villages like ours - not smaller
ones like this - because of the way the Local Transport Plan is
currently structured."
"I'm
not at all happy. The work had started on the crossings and now
all funding has been withdrawn."
Town
councillors
have also taken up the issue with the County Council's Chief Executive
to register their "disgust" at the matter - but on Tuesday
afternoon (June 27th) they had still not received a reply, some
three weeks after sending the letter.
The
zebra crossings were to be installed on Berrow Road (pictured)
and Marine Drive to help walkers get across during the busy summer
season. But Chris Betty of the Somerset Highways Department suddenly
withdrew the money for the projects because the work was no longer
compliant with the county's Local Transport Plan.
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