A FOOTBRIDGE over the A127 would not be worth the money, a councillor has claimed.

Essex County Council asked the Basildon Local Highways Panel to pay £10,000 for a feasibility study into putting a footbridge over the A127 following the death of 13-year-old Joseph Sheridan earlier this year who was hit by a car while trying to cross the busy dual carriageway.

However, chair of the panel councillor Keith Bobbin said it was not something the panel could do.

“The local highways panel only deals with minor things, like white lines,” he explained. “We estimated that the footbridge would cost £1million which is a major improvement and not in the local highway panel’s remit.”

He added that he did not think a footbridge was needed over the road as there were not a lot of homes nearby.

Mr Bobbin added that he did not think Essex County Council was keen on the idea of building a footbridge in the area either.

An Essex County Council spokesperson said: “We engaged with the local community earlier this year who made it clear the installation of pedestrian signage – to complement the long-standing ‘Fatality site: do not cross’ sign on the A127 – should be a priority.

“Highways staff installed these signs over the summer and have attempted to continue to engage on a local level through the Basildon Local Highways Panel.”

A petition set up by Michael Coates after Joseph’s death, calling for a footbridge to be installed attracted more than 500 signatures saying that is was needed to prevent further tragedies.

Joseph is not the first person to have died attempting to cross the road.

In March 2003, Leearna Briggs, 16, who was six months pregnant, and Shara Stone, 27, both from Pitsea, were struck by a Land Rover.

Traveller Billy Burton, 35, from Benfleet, also died in 2009 while trying to cross the A127.