ELDERLY and disabled passengers in Blackbird Leys are risking life and limb each time they catch the bus, residents say.

People catching buses to Green Hill get off on the opposite side of Grenoble Road and cross the road to get to their homes.

But residents say there is no pavement to stand on, cars travel too fast and a crossing needs to be built to help older passengers.

Pat Stannard, 73, catches the number 12 bus to his home in Blackbird Leys and gets off just past the roundabout onto Grenoble Road.

He said: “It’s dangerous. When you get off, there is no path on the other side so you have to cross there.

“With the traffic going backwards and forwards so fast, it’s very dangerous.

“The last time I got off, there was a guy on crutches and another more elderly man. They told me they take their life in their hands each time they catch the bus.”

Parish councillors have campaigned for a new crossing or a flashing sign telling drivers to slow down.

Mr Stannard said: “But the county council has told us there needs to be a few near-misses before they will do anything.”

The issue was brought up at the Blackbird Leys Parish Council meeting on October 25.

Councillor Gerry Webb said: “When the bus stops, people are left standing on the grass verge and they have to cross a three-car-wide road, as cars are turning right too.

“They’re putting their lives at risk because none of the cars along there are sticking to the 40mph speed limit.”

Parish council chairman Gordon Roper said: “We have tried to get a zebra crossing there but unless there’s been any near accidents or deaths in so many years, the county council won’t do anything.”

He joked: “I told Pat to get together half-a-dozen volunteers together and throw themselves under the buses so we could get the crossing. But they weren’t keen.”

County council spokesman Paul Smith said: “There are no current plans to introduce a crossing, although the council is aware of concerns raised and will continue to monitor the situation.

“We receive many requests for road safety schemes at locations across the county each year but unfortunately, like all highways authorities, we only have limited funds for such schemes.

“Our records show there have been no reported injury accidents at this location in the last five years.”