GOLFERS are taking their lives in their hands crossing the busy A386 at Yelverton, an MP warned this week.

Gary Streeter, Conservative MP for South West Devon, spoke out following a meeting with representatives of Yelverton Golf Club to discuss growing concerns over the safety of people crossing the main Plymouth to Tavistock road.

The A386 bisects Yelverton Golf Course and golfers must use crossings along the busy thoroughfare to move between the holes and clubhouase.

Crossing points along the road have long been a source of concern for golfers and local residents, who feel the points are not clearly marked, leaving motorists unaware of the danger.

Mr Streeter said: ?I am aware that the club are concerned about the safety of their members crossing the A386 ? many members take their life in their hands crossing the road to play a round of golf.

?I am particularly concerned that many junior members aged seven and over, as well as older people, have to get across this dangerous road.

?I am calling upon Devon County Council to attend a site meeting with me to see if more can be done to enhance safety before a nasty accident happens.?

Club secretary Stuart Barnes and the then club captain Paul Creavan met Mr Streeter to express their fears that members were constantly put in danger.

Mr Barnes said: ?I have been concerned about the problem for some time, particularly as we have a number of older, less agile members over the age of 80, who still regularly play the course, and young players who are not necessarily roadwise.

?Our youth section has grown tremendously over the last two years and we now have 90 junior members aged seven and up.

?The club?s own safety procedures mean they aren?t allowed to play the course unattended until the age of twelve, but even at that age they don?t necessarily appreciate how dangerous that road can be.

?It?s not an easy road to get across for people of any age, particularly when you?re hampered by heavy golf bags or trolleys ? it wouldn?t take a lot to cause a major accident.?

Mr Barnes pointed out that the club had witnessed a number of near-miss accidents over recent months, including the destruction of one of their boundary fences which was brought down when an oil tanker slewed off the main

carriageway.

He said: ?Luckily no-one was injured and we got away with just a broken fence but we might not always be so fortunate ? we can?t rely on luck.?

Mr Barnes said he had been corresponding with the Highways Department for three years on the matter.

He added: ?My worry is that there could be a serious accident in the meantime. With the speed of passing traffic and vehicles overtaking, it?s simply not safe.

?We?d like to see some clear indication of the crossing points so that motorists know where they are. Anyone who doesn?t know the road simply wouldn?t realise the danger was there.?

Yelverton Rural Devon County Councillor Gretta Madigan said the stretch of the A386 near the golf course was dangerous for anyone trying to cross the road, and backed the call for safety improvements.

?I would be very happy to speak to the engineers and have a site meeting to see what could be done about it?, she said.

?Obviously, I am very keen on improving safety ? any crossing of the A386 is a problem and I have been contacted by quite a lot of riders in the past about this. The cycle path crosses the road too.?

Now Devon County Council says it will carry out a safety review of the crossing points for golfers as part of its recommendations for improvements to the road.

A county council spokesperson said a route management study had been undertaken and recommendations made for improvements to the road.

Spokesperson Janet Kipling said: ?We are happy to incorporate a safety review of the crossing points for golfers and to determine whether improved

signing could be installed.

?We will be working with the golf club on this in the near future.?

The improvements are scheduled for February 2005 when the A386 is due to be resurfaced.