A BOROUGH councillor has warned an unofficial shortcut being used by pedestrians onto the busy Crediton Road is ‘an accident waiting to happen’.

Tony Leech is calling on developer Linden Homes to put a barrier at the bottom of Broom Park on the Meldon Fields estate to stop people squeezing through a gap in the hedge.

‘I know the planners have talked to the developer to say they should put in a more substantial barrier at the bottom of Broom Park,’ he said.

‘We know that people use that at the moment but there is an accident waiting to happen, especially in the wintertime when it is dark.’

And as calls intensify for a footpath and pedestrian crossing to provide a safe route to town along the Crediton Road, Cllr Leech said he was hopeful of reaching a breakthrough in creating an alternative route through the estate.

Talks continue with the owner of a piece of land between the two sections of Kellands Lane currently preventing the road being joined up.

This would come out from the estate onto the Crediton road closer to the new St James Church of England Primary School.

‘We tried very hard to get that blockage on Kellands Lane opened before the school opened,’ said Cllr Leech.

‘Because of the legality of the situation that couldn’t happen but we are hopeful that that will be open soon.’

The Meldon Fields Residents Group meanwhile, has asked for residents’ feedback on the best way to provide a safe route into town along the Crediton road.

The group is proposing to campaign for a footpath up to the proposed roundabout on Crediton Road going east, with a pedestrian crossing there.

For the full story, pick up your copy of today’s edition of the Okehampton Times.