PEDESTRIANS who demanded an upgrade for a zebra crossing in Radcliffe are keeping their fingers crossed after councillors decided it may be a special case.

Residents say that Belisha beacons on Bolton Road, close to Harper Fold Road, should be replaced with a pelican crossing. They argue that, although the crossing is well used, drivers ignore waiting pedestrians.

A council report claimed that the crossing was only lightly used, and did not warrant special measures, according to guidelines drawn up by local authorities across Greater Manchester.

The recommendation was made that the request be turned down at a highways and traffic management committee meeting on Monday (March 19). On behalf of the residents, Andrew Waddington, of Osborne Walk, Radcliffe, handed over a report from the Greater Manchester Transportation Unit, which confirmed that cars were ignoring the crossing.

He said: "I had to stop a child on the crossing who was inches from death. Children can't judge whether or not cars are going to stop."

Mr Waddington said that, with the Bolton Road and Cams Lane estates on either side of the road and a school, nursing home and community centre nearby, a special case could be made for the crossing to be upgraded.

Radcliffe Central councillor Kevin Scarlett was present at the meeting during public question time.

He told committee members: "There are two very large residential areas and a lot of interaction between the two communities on either side of the road."

Councillors decided to postpone any decision until the next meeting, while information was sought on making the crossing a special case.