A PEDESTRIAN crossing for the busy Brickfields Road and CCTV footage for its shops are some of the most pressing issues for residents in St Barnabas Ward.

Shop worker, June Howard, aged 41, of Oak Avenue said the area would be better protected with the installation of security cameras. "The shops in Brickfields Road could do with CCTV footage," she said.

"We also really need a pedestrian crossing on this section of main road near to the shops and lots of potholes need tackling."

Her thoughts were echoed by 50-year-old Josie Walters of Brickfields Road who often finds the busy traffic a problem.

"On one occasion it took me nearly half-an-hour to cross Brickfields Road, its not safe for children, we really need a crossing," she said.

"I've had my car broken into and its wing mirror ripped off, if we had CCTV at the shops it might have spotted the vandals."

Mavis Lane, 51, also of Brickfields Road, felt the streets should be cleaned more. "It would be nice to see the streets swept once in a while, a crossing is really needed by the Brickfield shops and near Astwood Road. The cars travel too quickly, you nearly always have to run across the roads."

Speeding motorists

the issue

THE Labour candidate and sitting councillor, Adrian Gregson (seen right), agrees that motorists were speeding through the area.

"I am concerned about the speed of traffic on a number of the main routes - Brickfields Road, Astwood, Tunnel Hill and Tolladine Road," he said.

"I would support measures to cut speed and make the roads safer."

Coun Gregson, who is the leader of the Labour group, said he wanted to see more done about cleaning up the area.

"The rubbish and litter around is terrible in some places in the ward," he said.

"I want to see more done about cleaning up in this area and many areas in the City which the Tories just ignore."

"That's one reason why people feel less safe - if the area doesn't look cared for then it is prone to vandalism and anti-social behaviour," Coun Gregson said.

"It is high time the Council paid more attention to residential areas outside the City Centre.

"I will also campaign to restore the cuts made by the Council to the parks and community organisations which help make the ward a better and a safer place to live in."

CCTV to protect shops

will be a big challenge

CONSERVATIVE candidate Nicholas Turner said getting CCTV at the shops in Brickfields might be difficult.

But he said if elected he would talk to the shop owners and see what could be done in conjunction with the council and the police.

Mr Turner said he would push for road safety measures at danger spots in the area.

"The city council in partnership with the County Council has spent quite a bit of money on various schemes throughout the City," he said. "I would press the Highways people to cost up a scheme for Brickfields Road."

He added that potholes in the roads were a constant problem.

"I would work to ensure that if there is a proper system of reporting them, so that they are then dealt with quickly because we all know they only get worse if left," he said.

"The council has done some re-surfacing in Blackpole Road and that looks a lot better but we must keep up the good work."

Mr Turner said he was also concerned about traffic speeding through the ward.

"I have had residents express their worries about this being a problem in Tunnel Hill and I intend to raise the matter with the police to see if something can be done there," he said.

n Mr Turner was given the opportunity to feature a photograph of himself, but was unavailable.