RESIDENTS calling for action on a Nailsea subway, which is a haven for anti-social behaviour and prone to flooding, will have to wait longer, says a prominent North Somerset Councillor.

The Times reported in March people living near the underpass, which goes under Stock Way North to the High Street, from Heath Road, want it permanently closed to stop gangs of teenagers gathering there at night causing a nuisance, people littering, spraying graffiti and sleeping or urinating in it.

But executive member for strategic planning and highways, Councillor Elfan ap Rees, says the authority is still looking at possible options for the site.

He said consultations have shown hardly anyone uses it, residents preferring to cross the road instead and a pedestrian crossing is unlikely to replace it because there is no history of accidents there.

He said: “Bricking it up would not be a good solution because it would look ugly and engineers would need access to check the structure.

“The preferred option would be to fill it in and landscape it but at the present time we don’t have money in the budget.

“There are higher priorities in the structures budget but if we can identify funding from an outside source, we will be happy to do it.”