FEARFUL Skipton pedestrians say they take their lives in their hands every time they cross the town's Brewery Lane swing bridge.

Residents of Brook Street and Bright Street are calling for a pelican crossing system to prevent motorists using the bridge at the same time as pedestrians, or a separate footbridge.

Speaking on behalf of the campaigners, Sheila Clark said there had been numerous times when motorists had tried to squeeze past pedestrians on the narrow bridge over the canal, forcing them up against the railings.

"One person witnessed a young man walking along the side who had his jacket ripped by a car travelling far too quickly. He was propelled along the railing by the force of the impact. The motorist did not stop," she said.

The residents have tried walking down the middle of the bridge to force motorists to stay behind them. "The majority of the motorists will not wait a few seconds to allow pedestrians to reach the other side.

"They follow close behind, almost nudging them out of the way. One impatient motorist sounded his horn at an elderly man," said Miss Clark.

The second problem is that the bridge moves whenever a vehicle passes over it.

"The bridge has a tilting action like a see saw. A vehicle starting across throws pedestrians off balance," stated a letter from residents to British Waterways and North Yorkshire County Council. "Many have stumbled and some fallen heavily, including one lady recovering from a hip operation."

The campaign group received a letter from Lynn Hamilton, engineering supervisor at British Waterways. It stated that a footbridge would cost £360,000 to install and there was not enough in the budget to fund it.

Mrs Hamilton said £170,000 had been allocated to refurbish the bridge which would involve measures to stop the tilting, and also the installation of barriers and lights, similar to that at a level crossing, for motorists' safety.

Miss Clark said she could not believe that measures were being put in place to safeguard motorists when nothing was being done to help the pedestrians. She did not know of any incidents of cars falling into the canal when the bridge was open.

"I can't believe that someone has to be permanently maimed or finish up in the canal with serious injuries before some steps are taken," she added.

North Yorkshire's area traffic manager Bill Isherwood said he was aware of the problems on the bridge. "I have asked British Waterways to put up some obvious warning signs to warn motorists not to enter the bridge when pedestrians are on it."

Richard Marr, divisional engineer for the highways department, said that the bridge refurbishment would stop the tilting altogether and that if British Waterways could not put up the warning signs then the highways department would. "The bridge is not wide enough to accommodate vehicles and pedestrians at the same time," he said.