Forest of Dean: Council accused of 'body bag' approach to road safety

Protesters say the road is too dangerous to cross safely

People living in three villages in the Forest of Dean have been protesting about road safety.

On Monday, they staged a "mass crossing" in Aylburton to raise awareness of what they claim is a "desperate need for pedestrian crossings".

They accused Gloucestershire County Council of having a "bodybag approach to road safety".

The council said it was not "feasible" to install a crossing there.

Villagers from Alvington and Westbury-on-Severn are also campaigning on the issue.

Campaigners told BBC Points West that they have been asking for a crossing for more than 70 years and there had been two fatalities on the road "within living memory".

Mark Topping, from Aylburton Parish Council, said: "The county council has a 'body bag' approach to road safety.

"Vulnerable people are taking their lives in their hands every day, dodging through heavy traffic. It's just common sense that we need safe places to cross."

The group had a mass crossing last June, attended by about 100 residents.

They said a number of residents had to cross the A48 using walking frames or mobility scooters.

The village also had a primary school, two churches, two pubs, a village hall and houses down both sides of the road, "so plenty of people needing to cross, including children", the group said.

The A48 slows to 30mph through the village, but residents say it is too congested to cross safely

Richard Heys, another crossing campaigner, said: "We have no safe road crossing here.

"There are no safe road crossings between Newnham and Chepstow on the A48 and we are keen to press Gloucester Highways to help work with us, the parish council, and other bodies [to resolve the issue]."

• Village protest over 70 years without a crossing

Kathryn Haworth, assistant director for Highways and Infrastructure at the county council, said she understood residents' concerns and "that they would like to see more pedestrian crossings in their area".But after carrying out investigation work, it "found it is not currently feasible to install a crossing here".

She added: "However, we will continue to work with the local community to monitor the situation."

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