INSTALLING a zebra crossing in Bow Street will form part of a study into safety upgrades along the A487 between Aberystwyth and Machynlleth, a Welsh Government minister has said.

Tirymynach county councillor, Paul Hinge, set up a petition earlier this year calling for a zebra crossing to be installed near the Tregerddan estate after an 11-year-old girl was knocked-down by a car after getting off the school bus.

Fortunately, the injuries were not severe and the girl recovered from the incident.

Speaking when the petition was launched, Cllr Hinge said: “Calls for a crossing here have been expressed over the last 50 years and have fallen on the establishment’s ‘deaf ears’.

“This is a much used crossing point by so many people and with increased volumes of traffic over the years on this major Trunk Road, Government must now address the calls for pedestrian road safety at this point to be addressed with immediacy.”

Lee Waters MS, Deputy Minister for Climate Change, who has the responsibility for the Trunk Road system in Wales has written in response to the calls and petition, saying: “I am sorry to learn of the incident that has recently occurred and hope that the young girl involved is recovering well.

“We have commissioned the Trunk Road Agents to carry out a study of the A487 between Machynlleth and Aberystwyth to assess the active travel and safety issues. “Some initial work in Bow Street has already been carried out, which will feed into this study, and we will also be carrying out a consultation with local communities.

“I appreciate you taking the time to raise your concerns and can assure you that the issues highlighted will be incorporated into the study.” Cllr Hinge said in response this week: “I’m pleased to see that there is a positive response and that there is a recognition by the Welsh Government that there are some serious issues along the A487 between Aberystwyth and Machynlleth.”