A Rawdon newsagent is calling for a pelican crossing to be installed on a busy road which has been described as a mini-motorway.

Residents in the Little London area of Rawdon, some of them elderly, have complained of problems crossing Apperley Lane, near to the Princess public house.

Ron Todd, who owns a newsagents in Apperley Lane, said he believes the answer is a pelican crossing.

And Aireborough councillor Moira Dunn has promised to ask Leeds City Council's highways department to carry out a traffic count on the road.

Mr Todd said: "Residents visiting my shop often complain they have great difficulty crossing the road because of the volume of the traffic there.

"There is a continuous flow of cars, lorries and tankers along the road and some of them travel quite fast."

He said there had been some near misses and a wagon recently clipped a parked car.

"This road was not built for heavy traffic and one day something nasty is going to happen," he added.

John Brearley of London Street, Rawdon, supports the call for a pelican crossing.

Two elderly residents of London Lane, who do not wish to be named, said the volume of traffic had increased during the past seven years.

"People have sometimes had to wait between ten and 15 minutes before they could cross the road," said one of them.

Gillian Lee, of Apperley Lane, said she thought the road was too dangerous for children to cross on their own.

And an 82-year-old woman, who did not want to be named, described Apperley Lane as a "mini-motorway".

Coun Dunn added: "I can imagine it is very difficult for people to try and cross the road and I do sympathise with them.

"The traffic on the road is increasing by the minute and I will press the Council for a pelican crossing."

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