Plea to Hartlepool Borough Council for new safety crossing in Seaton Carew

Councillor Sue Little, who represents the Seaton ward on Hartlepool Borough Council, wants to see a safe crossing installed near the shops in Elizabeth Way, Seaton Carew.

She said “hundreds” of children visit the site during the week to get the bus to various schools in the borough while concerns have also been raised about elderly residents struggling to cross.

Cllr Little made the plea at the latest meeting of the council’s neighbourhood services committee, calling for the scheme to be funded as part of Hartlepool’s Local Transport Plan.

The independent councillor said: “We’re the only shopping precinct in the whole of the town that hasn’t got a safe crossing for children.

“Residents are concerned that their elderly relatives can’t cross the road and we must transport at least a couple of hundred children from this area every day.

“I just don’t want a child or an elderly person to get knocked over, I don’t want somebody to die to get a crossing.”

She added they have already had numerous reports of “near misses” with vehicles in the area.

Kieran Bostock, council assistant director for place management, said they have received the request and the issue would be considered later this year, with a report to come before councillors.

He said: “That will come back before this committee as part of our prioritisation process in the summer when it will be considered then.

“That’s why we’ve got an agreed prioritisation process, we have to target our most in need areas first and we have to use the statistics to back that up.

“We’ve got to target those where we know there is high risk and where we know there have been accidents first as part of our prioritisation.”

He added accidents “always take precedence” when considering safety schemes but any “evidence base” and reports from residents “always help” in any decision they take.

It comes after last year a primary school pupil wrote to Cllr Little also requesting a cross in the area, stating she felt concerned for people who struggle to cross the road near the shops in Elizabeth Way.