Accident fears as subway goes

2:51pm Friday 18th July 2008

It is a great shame that the artistically-painted pedestrian subway in Headington, Oxford, is to be filled in with concrete to make way for extra traffic lanes.

The loss of this safe haven will increase the danger to pedestrian shoppers.

Pedestrians have been killed by speeding emergency vehicles on pelican crossings in Oxford before.

It is impossible to be mown down while safely underground in a subway.

I spoke to a pensioner recently in Headington and she told me that she had nearly been hit on the same road when the green man suddenly changed to red on the above ground crossing.

She rang the county council to complain and was told that she had exactly eight seconds to cross the busy road safely.

Not everyone is spritely enough to do this safely in time, and Headington has quite a large pensioner population.

The subway is essential.

Ian Hudspeth, the county council's cabinet member for transport, can find £3m to inflict dangerous transport policies on Headington, yet Oxford's historic High Street is denied money for York stone paving.

Why is it preferable to use the money unwisely?

I know that Mr Hudspeth has been quoted as enjoying the Big Bang approach to transport, but it is unkind to deny Oxford's High Street traders their much-needed refurbishment simply so he can use the money to create mayhem in Headington.

SUSAN THOMAS Magdalen Road Oxford