A CLAIM the council U-turned on a decision to install a zebra crossing in St John’s in a “spiteful and nasty act of betrayal” was false, the councillor responsible for the county’s roads has said.

The plan to install a zebra crossing in Henwick Road in St John’s was celebrated enthusiastically by ward councillor Richard Udall who said its inclusion came after more than two decades of campaigning.

It was revealed earlier this month that Worcestershire County Council would not be installing a crossing as part of wider works in St John’s but Cllr Alan Amos, cabinet member for highways at the council, said nobody could claim the crossing had been removed from the plans as it was never included in the first place.

This is despite Cllr Udall sending the Worcester News what appears to be a diagram plan for the works with a zebra crossing included alongside the annotation “proposed zebra crossing”.

He said: “None of the plans had even been finalised but yet Cllr Udall announced that there would be a new crossing.

“I included him in discussions, as he is the ward councillor, but there was nothing ever in the scheme about a crossing.

“We are not putting a crossing in place there. It is not possible. And I say again, it was never included in the first place.

“He has promised something that he cannot deliver and now he is opposing the scheme in every way possible because he has not got his way.

“He didn’t get his crossing and now he has egg on his face. It’s all very selfish and unreasonable.”

Cllr Amos dismissed the claim that not including the crossing would put hundreds of elderly and disabled residents in danger as he had been advised installing the crossing would in itself be dangerous - particularly for drivers.

Worcestershire County Council did not say whether a zebra crossing was never included in the plans and repeated a statement from earlier this month.

A spokesman for the council said: “A number of options have been considered for improving crossing facilities on Henwick Road, including re-locating the refuge and the potential option of a zebra crossing.

“Final detailed designs are still being considered but the provision of a zebra crossing will not be progressed.

“The carriageway on Henwick Road is being narrowed and ample safe crossing opportunities are being provided, and therefore it is not considered that a zebra crossing is required.”

Cllr Udall said: “Alan Amos’s recollection of events is completely different from my own.”

He went on to say he has had several meetings with highways bosses around the scheme and got behind it with the understanding that there would a crossing.

The councillor said the Traffic Regulation Order application even had an “allocated space” for the crossing, but the plans “mysteriously changed a few weeks ago” with “no justification”.

He believes the decision was a “political one”.