FURIOUS Cradley Heath residents are demanding a pedestrian crossing is installed in Barrs Road after the death of pensioner Bernard Betts.

For years Sandwell Council has resisted a full crossing citing the lack of fatalities but were due to build a pedestrian refuge further up the busy thoroughfare.

Barrs Road parent Louise Underhill is demanding Sandwell Council install a crossing after leading an unsuccessful campaign last year.

She said: “For forty years people have been calling for a crossing on Barrs Road and now is that someone has regrettably died, what are the council going to do?

“The council have been remiss before, claiming statistics, are they going to carry on hiding their heads in the sand or are they going to finally take residents concerns over the speed of vehicles on Barrs Road, seriously?”

She added: “The council agreed to put a crossing island outside number 81 Barrs Road, but that only helps people walking up from the bottom end of Barrs Road, the Codsall estate and the bottom end of Corngreaves Road.

“But what about children crossing from Trejon Road, or those walking from Haden Hill Leisure Centre and residents crossing Barrs Road to make their way into the park via Lee Road, as poor Mr Betts was doing on the night he was fatally injured.”

Cradley Heath and Old Hill councillor Ann Shackleton ordered the council to stop current plans to install the pedestrian refuge.

She said: “In the light of this tragic accident I have asked the council to put everything on hold and asked for a full investigation in what can be done on Barrs Road.

“We have always been told that Barrs Road did not fit the criteria for a pedestrian crossing because of a lack of fatalities, despite many near misses but this might change something.”

She added: “The proposed refuge would have done nothing to stop this accident but I think it is right that is also put on hold so officers can look at the whole road again.”

Mr Betts, aged 85, was involved in a hit and run accident around 6.20pm, Wednesday, January 16, police are urging anyone with information to phone 101.