RESIDENTS living next to a busy main road have welcomed the news that a pedestrian crossing is to be built linking them with the rest of the market town.

But they have warned that road bosses must think carefully about where they decide to site the scheme.

Residents in Parkers Mount, Kirkbymoorside, have been campaigning for a means of crossing the A170.

They claim traffic is so busy they sometimes wait up to 15 minutes for the stretch of road to be clear.

Now county council highways officials have announced a £28,000 scheme is in the pipeline, due to be completed by the end of March 2003.

Resident Paul Cossins, whose wife, Alison, must regularly cross the busy road with their one-year-old son, said some form of pedestrian crossing was much needed.

He said: "Initially there was talk of putting a crossing nearer to the roundabout.

"But 500 yards further west at Parkers Mount there is nothing to cross the road.

"There isn't even a path and you can't push prams and pushchairs in the mud on the verge."

Mr Cossins said the road was constantly busy with traffic using the A170.

He said: "There are drivers who overtake in silly places on that road.

"At least if we have some form of crossing it might deter them and slow people down a bit."

Coun David Cussons agreed, saying: "It's a very dangerous place for young families with prams and pushchairs to get across. I definitely want to see this through, I'm all for it."

Graham Cressey, the county council's traffic manager, said: "We have a number of requests for pedestrians crossings to be considered across the district, and the one for Kirkbymoorside has now reached the top of the priority list.

"The type of crossing has not yet been finalised, although it is likely to be some sort of controlled crossing like a Puffin crossing."

But Mr Cressey assured residents they would have a say on where the crossing would eventually be situated.

Updated: 11:37 Thursday, January 31, 2002