BACKWELL Parish Council is appealing to Bristol Airport for funds to build a much-needed crossing in the village.

The Times reported in October last year how residents were devastated t the crossing, which they have campaigned for the last 10 years to get, had been postponed by North Somerset Council.

The scheme for a crossing, on the busy A370, had been approved and drawn up and contractors were due to start work days before an email was sent to councillors calling off the work due to financial concerns.

The crossing was planned for West Town Road, near the recreation ground and tennis courts, to safeguard hundreds of children who cross the road every day to get to the village facilities and four schools.

Backwell Parish Council had pledged �20,000 towards the crossing, as they felt it was desperately needed to make the village safer, and North Somerset Council had allocated �39,000 towards it before the u-turn.

Now the parish council wants to take advantage of community funds available from the airport as part of its planning approval to plug the gap.

Speaking at Backwell Parish Council meeting recently, district councillor Karen Barclay, who has been leading the campaign for the crossing, said: “We thought it would be a good idea to draft an application form.

“The costs have gone down and if funding is approved we will have the money for the crossing to go ahead.”

A Bristol Airport spokesman said: “The new Bristol Airport Community Fund, administered by representatives of the airport and North Somerset Council, will be meeting early in the New Year to consider applications received.

“The new fund has been established to support local projects focused on sustainability, educational initiatives, infrastructure improvement, nature conservation and noise reduction.

“Under the Section 106 Agreement accompanying planning permission for its development, Bristol Airport is committed to contributing �100,000 to the fund every year, with this figure increasing in line with passenger numbers.”