Campaigners have slated Cheshire East's 'appalling' record for installing pedestrian crossings across the borough and repeated their call for a crossing on a busy Sandbach road.

Sarah Bradley, speaking on behalf of a Facebook group formed in 2018 to campaign for a crossing on the Hill in Sandbach, said 95 requests for crossings in the borough had been made in the past 12 months, 56 investigated and only one installed.

"This is an appalling record and not really acceptable," she said at a meeting of the full council at Tatton Park.

The Hill in Sandbach

Mrs Bradley said the Sandbach crossing had been refused in 2018 because there was no private or public funding available and the footfall criteria was not met.

"There is not enough footfall as there is not a crossing," she said.

"The criteria should be removed. Communities should not have to wait until someone is injured or killed. What happened to accident prevention and road safety for all?

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"The Hill in Sandbach desperately needs a crossing. Traffic has enormously increased since 2018 due to a Co-op store and a new housing estate."

She said funding was available from Section 106 money (developer contributions) received due to the building of a nearby housing estate.

She urged the councillors to back a motion from the council's walking and cycling champion, Cllr Suzie Akers Smith, calling on Cheshire East to' review the criteria for traffic light timings and to review the criteria for the installation of zebra crossings and light controlled crossings with the ambition to installing more each year'.

Cllr Craig Browne (Ind), chair of the council's highways and transport committee, said Sandbach councillor Sam Corcoran (Lab) had asked in the past for a survey to be carried out at The Hill, 'however the number of vehicle movements and pedestrians didn't meet the council's criteria at that time'.

Cllr Craig Browne

He said the S106 funds Mrs Bradley referred to were for traffic signal improvements not a crossing at The Hill.

"The council does have a robust assessment and prioritisation process in place for requests for new pedestrian crossings. This is used in line with national guidance to allow council resources to be directed to those roads with the highest levels of need," said Cllr Browne.

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He said local authorities across the country were facing a massive funding gap just to maintain services at pre-covid levels.

"In all likelihood, therefore, we are going to have to look at securing many new crossings through the funding process funded by developer contributions," said the deputy council leader.

Cllr Suzie Akers Smith (Congleton West, Ind) said the fact there had been 95 requests for road crossings and one installation in 12 months 'is not helping our residents feel safe using the roads and will not encourage residents to be more active'.

Cllr Suzie Akers Smith

"These residents don't ask for a road crossing because they have nothing better to do, it is to improve road safety for pedestrians and other non-motorised users where they live. I urge this council to review the criteria for road crossings, look at emerging ideas for road crossings that are cheaper, work with residents and parish councils and look at where we can obtain funding," she said.