Damaged barriers risk more deaths, council warned

Bradford transport bosses have been urged to fix damaged crash barriers on one of the city's busiest dual carriageways, following the death of a pedestrian.

Metal barriers are damaged or missing at several points along Rooley Lane, where pensioner Rodney Gledhill died after he was struck by a lorry last month.

Campaigner and Bradford Green Party leader Matt Edwards called on council chiefs to act now and "take this seriously".

In response, the authority has pledged to carry out a full review of road safety in the area, saying the matter of the damaged railings "needs to be concluded urgently".

Edwards, who is a ward councillor for nearby Tong and Holme Wood areas, told the BBC: "How many people have to die on this stretch of road before something is done?

"This has been a problem for quite a while. We counted seven or eight damaged areas alone between the Asda and Dudley Hill.

"This is a really fast road, and people drive dangerously. That makes it really difficult for pedestrians trying to cross to get to local services, like the doctors, the pharmacy and Asda.

"We've even had near misses recently. This past weekend, someone contacted me about a near miss on this road, and sadly, we know Mr Gledhill died on that road."

Edwards said the route was an important thoroughfare for Bradford, especially in the City of Culture year when more first-time visitors were expected.

"There's urgency around addressing this because it's a key road feeding into the motorway network," he said.

"Unfortunately, the damaged metalwork, coned-off areas and large areas of weeds are giving a really bad first impression of the city."

After the issue was raised at a council meeting earlier, the council's executive member for regeneration, planning and transport, Alex Ross Shaw, said: "Following the tragic death of Rodney Gledhill highways officers have assessed the issue of pedestrian guardrail use in the district and the application of the council's revised guardrail policies to installations of guardrail such as those found on Rooley Lane, Wakefield Road and Tong Street.

"We are also reviewing the area more widely regarding safe crossing and road safety.

"The subject can be more complicated than it appears, as even where guardrails are in place it is not uncommon to see pedestrians crossing the road and jumping the railings in these locations, and some have even been seen removing them to get through."

Ross-Shaw said he shared concerns that "this needs to be concluded urgently" and "potential solutions and timescales for completion" would be looked into taking into account the coroner's pending investigation into Mr Gledhill's death.

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