PLANS to close Northwich’s subway could be buried if residents want it to stay open.

Cheshire West and Chester Council (CWAC) had suggested filling the Chesterway underpass in as part of work to develop the new Memorial Court and its surroundings.

Northwich Town Council expressed its concerns about the proposal to replace the subway system with a pelican crossing and will now take part in a joint consultation with CWAC.

Town clerk Chris Shaw said he had been assured that no decision had been made and that initial reports into the issue will go before both councils, which will then work together on the consultation.

Clr Kevin Rimmer said: “If that’s done properly and CWAC is true to its word then that’s definitely the way forward and I would support that.”

Clr Paul Dolan said he was still waiting for evidence that the underpass was unsafe.

“One or two people talk about their concerns about safety in subways,” he said.

“In that particular subway I’m not aware of any particular issues.

“I just wondered, again, have we got any evidence to suggest that having the subways is less safe than not having them and can that information inform the final decision?

“I would like to know the number of incidents that might have occurred there in the past year or so.”

Mr Shaw said a report on this issue was being put together before the consultation was launched.

Reports will go before Northwich Town Council’s planning committee.

In February CWAC said it would fill in the underpass if it had the money as crossing at ground level was safer.