Pedestrians and cyclists claim crossing the Aire Valley Trunk road is like playing the death-defying game Russian Roulette.

Keighley & Craven Sustrans Supporters Group is calling on the Highways Agency to build an underpass or footbridge near the Silsden-Steeton roundabout so people can get across the dual carriageway safely.

Last week we revealed people's fears about negotiating the road.

The sustrans group claims pedestrians walking to and from Steeton and Silsden railway station take their life in their hands whenever they try to cross the busy road. And cyclists trying the same manoeuvre face cars and lorries whipping around the roundabout as they try to dodge two streams of traffic in both directions.

In a letter to the Highways Agency the pressure group, which is calling for better facilities nationwide for cyclists and pedestrians, claims that when the road was built eight years ago not enough consideration was given to pedestrians and cyclists.

"Crossing this trunk road safely by either walking, wheelchair, pram or cycle is almost impossible," the letter says. "One has to run and there are no clear visibility lines to see the traffic charging at you until it is too late."

The group says something needs to be done before a new cycleway between Lyon Road in Steeton and the railway station - being proposed by Bradford council - is set up.

Sustrans member John Peet, of Silsden, a keen cyclist, says: "Trying to cross that road is hell. You take your life in your hands.

"The cars come round the roundabout like a Formula one race, especially from the Keighley direction."

Fellow member Mike Shaw adds: "It's literally like playing Russian Roulette trying to cross on a cycle. Cars are accelerating as they come round and of course you are much slower. It's suicidal."

A spokesman for the Highways Agency says it has received a number of complaints about the difficulty people face crossing the road.

"We have conducted a safety study and from that a number of recommendations have been made," he says. "We are currently assessing those but no final decision has been made.

"It is not possible to guarantee whether a footbridge or underpass would be a feasible option but we can assure people we will be making the crossing area safer for people in the future."

He was unable to say what type of safety features would be introduced until the recommendations have been considered.

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