Pedestrian crossings in central Keighley, Silsden, Culling-worth and Exley Head could be built with council cash.

Up to £300,000 is likely to be made available for crossings across the Bradford district between now and April 2001.

But the crossings at 20 sites requested by residents, councillors and other local people have a total cost of around £500,000. Bradford council's highways sub-committee will decide which locations deserve priority over the next two financial years.

The sites include the junction of Skipton Road and Spring Gardens Lane, Keighley, where at least seven people have been injured in the past five years. The proposed £35,000 scheme would make it easier for people to cross the busy main road to schools, shops and surgery.

People living near the junction of West Lane and Lustre Street, Keighley, sent a petition requesting a zebra crossing after 21 people were injured in five years.

A zebra crossing has been proposed on Oakworth Road near the junction with Occupation Lane and next to Oakbank School, following eight recent accidents.

A zebra is planned near the Kirkgate/New Road junction in the centre of Silsden following four accidents.

Parish councillors have suggested a zebra crossing near the Halifax Road/Mill Street intersection in Cullingworth, scene of three accidents.

A pedestrian refuge is proposed outside Keighley's Morrisons store on Worth Way due to the high pedestrian flows.

Cllr Phil Thornton, Bradford council's highways chairman, says too many pedestrians are injured trying to cross busy roads. He says: "It is vital we continue to provide more formal crossings to improve safety, particularly for the elderly, disabled people and children. Unfortunately the demand for crossings far outweighs the money available each year and we have to priorities sites as part of a rolling programme of improvements."

Several roads in Bradford have also suffered high numbers of casualties and could be given priority over some of the Keighley sites.

Councillors take several other factors into consideration including the degree of difficulty faced by people crossing the road.

They look at the type and cost of the recommended crossing, and how close it would be to schools, shops, churches, mosques or medical centres.

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