THE bill for two zebra crossings has been more than halved after a council revised its original £106,000 quote.

Worcestershire County Council had said the installation of two crossings in Worcester’s St Peter’s Drive would cost £106,000.

But the council has now revised the cost to £44,000 – much to the delight of St Peter’s Parish Council and city councillor Roger Knight.

“The original price we were quoted was a worst case scenario,” Coun Knight explained. “Since a survey of the site, they have changed their minds.

“It is a great opportunity for us. We have been trying, to my knowledge, for 12 years to get a couple of crossings installed.”

Coun John Smith, the county council’s cabinet member for highways and transport, said: “Earlier this year we were asked to provide an indication of the cost of two zebra crossings in the area.

“At this point we hadn’t carried out any detailed investigations – for example we didn’t know what utility services were under the surface – and so as is normal in these situations we provided a ‘worst case’ estimate.

“We have since carried out these more detailed investigations which have enabled us to provide more bespoke figures.”

The parish council now has to decide exactly how it will pay for the two crossings – which will be situated at Farne Avenue and where the Norton Pedway crosses St Peter’s Drive – a popular route with those on their way to school or to Tesco.

It has money set aside to put towards the crossings, as well as money contributed from developers, but it will not be enough to cover the entire cost.

Discussions now need to be had with Worcestershire County Council about whether it is willing to put money towards the crossing – if not, a rise in the parish council’s council tax precept may be required.

Coun Knight said: “While I’m very pleased there is a lack of accidents, the only way we are going to get funding to install a crossing is if there is a serious accident.

“It may mean raising some of the money ourselves. The parish council could do that either through economies elsewhere, or through an increase in the precept – but that is the last resort rather than the first.”

But however the money is raised, St Peter’s Parish Council is now pushing ahead with the scheme.

Councillor Pam Clayton said: “We have to make sure we are still going forward and not waiting. I would not like to see a death.”