Highways chiefs are being urged to consider siting a pelican crossing on a busy Silsden street following a series of near-misses.

The town has zebra crossings at either end of Kirkgate, and one is used by school crossing patrol lady Brigit Carberry to help children and their parents cross the road at the beginning and end of school.

But governors at Aire View Infants School are concerned about a number of near misses at the crossing, with drivers failing to stop at the busy junction.

Now they want highways chiefs to consider upgrading the crossing to pelican status so drivers are forced to stop when the lights are at red.

"There are concerns over safety on the crossing and that it is an accident waiting to happen because cars are ignoring the crossing lady," said governor Michael Elsmore, who is also a parish councillor.

Mrs Carberry said there had been a number of occasions when drivers had simply failed to stop.

"When there were temporary traffic lights on the bridge the situation was a lot better because drivers had to stop," she said.

This is the second time the safety of Silsden's zebra crossings has been brought into question.

Parish councillors asked for another zebra in the middle of busy Kirkgate after a survey revealed that was where most people crossed the road.

But they were knocked back when it came to funding and were promised cash for anti-skid surfaces on the approach to the crossing outside the town hall.

l The search is on for the owner of a Skipton road so that a petition to have it closed to traffic can be considered.

Ings Lane is said to be dangerous to pedestrians and crumbling into a neighbouring beck under the weight of vehicles.

North Yorkshire County Council's highways department has received a petition of 23 signatures from those wanting the short cut to Engine Shed Lane industrial estate closed.

But no owner can be found for the unadopted road, and the lane is recorded as being a public footpath with no recorded right for members of the public to drive vehicles along it.

And if public use continues, highways experts say the lane may become unsafe for vehicles if subsidence into the beck wall increases.

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