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A ROW has broken out in Yate after barriers were put up near the scene of a fatal accident, despite local people’s calls for a pedestrian crossing.

South Gloucestershire Council has erected the central reservation barrier near the Abbotswood Inn, on Rodford Way, in an effort to deter people from crossing the 40mph road and make them use a nearby underpass.

But the move has sparked anger among local councillors, who have been highlighting a local campaign for a light-controlled crossing outside the pub since 13-year-old Daisy Witney died there in November 2008. An inquest into the teenager's death heard she had opted to cross the road because a group of youths were shouted abuse from the underpass. Yate and district councillor Alan Lawrance (Lib Dem, Dodington) said: "Clearly Rodford Way is a relatively dangerous road and people have had concerns about its safety for a long period of time.

"The simple fact is people don’t use the underpass and cross the road.

"Local people at different meetings have expressed their wish for a controlled crossing and although I think there are strengths and weaknesses in that, this rather lengthy barrier has gone up with, as far as I can ascertain, no consultation."

He said concern had been raised that the barrier could block drivers’ views of the oncoming road and whether the barrier would withstand the impact of a car crashing into it.

Cllr Mike Drew (Lib Dem, Yate North) said people would complain whether there was a barrier or a crossing.

But town councillor Chris Willmore said: "Barriers mean I cannot walk across the road where I want to, but it will not stop the young people we have seen tragically to be vulnerable on this piece of road. "

She added: "The council should have let local people decide what they wanted and let local people live with the consequences of their decisions, rather than some executive decided this is what we need."

A council spokeswoman said: "In road safety terms, the safest way to get from one side of Rodford Way to the other is using the existing underpass because it fully separates pedestrians from traffic, unlike surface crossings, including light-controlled versions.

"That’s why South Gloucestershire Council has invested considerable resources in successfully promoting greater use of the underpass. This includes repainting, clearing vegetation and regular cleaning of the underpass, as well as erecting new signs. In addition, the council has strengthened the local police team with extra funding and a comprehensive programme of road safety advice and training has been rolled out to pupils at local schools.

"As part of these ongoing efforts, which are regularly discussed at local Safer and Stronger meetings and elsewhere, a new guard railing has been installed on the central reservation to again emphasise how the existing underpass is the safest way to get from one side of Rodford Way to the other because it fully separates pedestrians from traffic."