EVEN though surveys have shown that some places where people cross the road are dangerous and so cannot have a proper pedestrian crossing, the truth is that people still cross there.

Hearing that two Toucan crossings, the sort that also allow bicycles to be ridden across (two can use), Crediton Town Council’s Town Strategy Committee asked its county councillor Nick Way if a Devon County Council officer could explain further the criteria.

Cllr Way had been asked to tell the committee what was happening over the proposed crossings associated with the Wellparks Development along the Exeter road.

He said they were not happening as fast as he would like but progress was being made.

At present Devonshire Homes were providing a crossing that the town council had proposed at Mill Street from Downeshead Lane across to East Street.

Section 106 money had been received for two crossings on the Exeter road which, he said, most councillors had felt was the most important crossing for people from the new development to get to the railway station and supermarket.

He said it had been hoped one could go between St Boniface Veterinary Clinic and Jewsons, a private right-of-way, and this was being progressed with negotiations going on.

Cllr Way said that possibly the most controversial crossing that had been asked for was at the top of Mill Street to Exeter Road.

"They, the county council, have tried to sort this but it has not passed the safety audit," he said. "This is where there used to be a crossing by the old Post Office, it is difficult because of the cellars under the pavement and there are the two bus stops.

"A crossing by the Fire Station has been designed and audited but we are waiting for a visibility speed test there," he said.

Cllr Way added that there were issues about speed of traffic but it was hoped the town council’s Enhancement Scheme would slow vehicles.

However, if this could not be done, it could mean money for that going instead to the Toucan crossings because there was not enough Section 106 money for them all to be done.

Cllr Liz Brookes-Hocking wished the county council had taken on board what the local people had said. "We know exactly what they want but it is really hard to get the county council to recognise that," she said.

"We have been through this so many times and we still have not achieved the crossing at Lords Meadow. We got quite close to talking with the designer and then it got whipped off the drawing board.

"People are still crossing there with no protection," she added. This was to the Willow Walk area and the Leisure Centre from Hawkins Way.

"The county council seems to think people will follow the map but it does not work like that," she said.

Cllr Brookes-Hocking added that something should be done about people crossing the road at Fordton Cross to get to and from the bus stop instead of walking down the road to a crossing.

She regretted that opportunities were presented but not being taken up. She said the county council approach was "completely wrong".

Cllr John Downes said the county council would say a suggested crossing point did not fit the current criteria but people were already crossing there, traffic needed to be slowed so that the crossings could go in.

Cllr Way said the county council would not want to put a pedestrian crossing where it could cause an accident.

It was said that the county council was not working to its “Putting People First” agenda.

Cllr Frank Letch was supported when he proposed the committee asked Cllr Way to invite a relevant county officer to explain all to the committee.

PLANNING

There were two planning applications to vary a planning condition for Fairways, East Threshers and for Old Orchard, Threshers for Mr P Warren of P J Warren Limited of Arden Gardens, Union Road, Crediton, to allow a revised set of plans.

Councillors agreed they would consider this variation of the condition on production of the revised plans.

There was no objection to an application from Mr T Newstead of Moorview Homes Limited, Mardale, Copplestone to put up a car port and store for Plots 1 and 2 following planning permission on land at Fairpark, Exeter Road.

Nor did it object to a Listed Building Consent application to enlarge the kitchen on the first floor of 77 High Street and alterations to doors and windows for Mr S Rowe of 77 High Street.

But when it came to a notification by Mrs E Hustwayte of the intention to fell a yew tree within the Conservation Area at 1 The Limes, East Street members objected saying there was no good reason why the tree should be felled but it could be trimmed. They said it was probably there when the house was built and also recommended a Tree Preservation Order was put on it.

TRIM TRAIL

It was recommended that the proposed trim trail for Newcombes Meadow was built of metal with the same sort of surface as in the play area so that people did not get muddy going from one area to the other.

There are a number of seats and benches around the town that do not belong to the town council which are either not being maintained or are taken away and not replaced by whoever put them there.

So it was recommended a £5,000 budget be set aside with the town council adding these to its register of assets and, therefore, maintaining them.

A request from the Heart Project to use the town council office on North Street as a correspondence address was approved.