New front in Headington subway battle (From The Oxford Times)

New front in Headington subway battle

2:01pm Tuesday 2nd March 2010 in News By Chris Walker

A SECOND World War veteran has added his voice to the campaign to save the threatened Headington subway.

Oxfordshire County Council intends to spend £45,000 filling in the subway under London Road and installing a pedestrian crossing as part of a £2.3m traffic scheme.

That is despite a petition gathered by campaigner Mick Haines. It contains 4,250 signatures of people who want to keep the 40-year-old subway, which is adorned with murals of local shops and landmarks, like the Headington shark.

Now 84-year-old Glyn Hughes, who injured his knee when a ship he was travelling on was torpedoed in the North Sea on D-Day +1 in 1944, has also called for the subway to be saved.

Mr Hughes, of Oxford Road, Old Marston, walks with a walking stick. He said: “It should be kept for safety.

“I have got problems walking and very often, when I’m halfway across the road, the little crossing lights go out and go green for the traffic.

“I frequently get quite a lot of car horns honking as drivers don’t understand that I have trouble walking.

“I don’t see the subway in light of its history, because it’s only been there 40 years. But they are talking about spending more than £40,000 to fill it in.

“When we’re told all the local councils are short of money, it seems unnecessary to spend all this money, when so many people are using it, especially mums with prams and pensioners.”

The former private in the King’s Shropshire Light Infantry added: “There are so many nursing homes in Headington and a lot of these people all use the subway with walking frames and mobility scooters.”

Last week, Mr Haines, 69, of Croft Road, received a response from the council’s head of transport Steve Howell, informing him that the authority still intended to fill in the subway when work on the scheme gets under way next month.

Accident records show there have been 40 road accidents involving pedestrians crossing London Road over the past five years.

The council insists replacing the subway with a pedestrian crossing will make the road safer.

The council’s consultation showed that of 243 residents surveyed, 58 per cent of them agreed with the closure of the subway if a new crossing was provided.

But Mr Haines, who intends to keep collecting signatures from people opposed to the plan, said: “People say they won’t come shopping in Headington, because they don’t feel safe with a crossing.

“You can’t just push this many peoples’ opinions down the pan.”

The council’s consultation showed that of 243 residents surveyed, 58 per cent of them agreed with the closure of the subway if a new crossing was provided.

Council spokesman Marcus Mabberley said: “The replacement high-quality pelican crossing will provide everybody with a safe way of getting over the road, as many people choose not to use the subway currently.

“Crossings in Oxford have an excellent safety record and the removal of the subway will help enhance the street environment and make Headington a more pleasant place to shop.”