A PLANNED school in the Glebelands is holding up work needed on a pothole-scarred road, Newport residents claim.

Bank Street is the main road into the Glebelands, a popular leisure area which is earmarked for a replacement for outdated Durham Road schools.

Residents claim the road is in a poor state and is a safety hazard to users of the Glebelands playing fields.

Householders fear Bank Street will be left to deteriorate while plans for the new school - fraught with concerns over the possible toxicity of the Glebelands site - go through the planning process.

The playing fields are a former landfill site and opponents of the plans to build the school fear the land may pose a health risk to children. David Thorndell, 78, of Darlington Court, said: "Bank Street and the surrounding roads are in a shocking state.

"Many youngsters use the fields and they are put in danger by cars negotiating the potholes.

"The pavements are totally decimated. "Elderly people have suffered bad falls on them in the past. This is the main road into the Glebelands and there's bound to be an accident. "It needs resurfacing from top to bottom. But the council won't do anything until a decision has been made on the school. That could be years." Councillor Fred Sweeting said: "Bank Street is below standard and I've complained about it many times.

"The council does the odd repair but it soon breaks down. "I guess the council is dodging the issue because if the Glebelands is developed there will be a lot of heavy traffic on that road."

Brian Kemp, head of engineering and construction at Newport council, said: "Highways maintain roads on a worst-first basis and risk assessments are an important factor in determining priority.

"Bank Street has been inspected in the last month and all repairs deemed necessary have been carried out.

"If and when the school is replaced the road will be looked at again as it will then be a school access road.

"In the meantime we're doing all we can to maintain it." Durham Road Junior and Infants Schools were marked as needing a replacement for over 15 years.

A further report on the toxicity of the Glebelands, a former landfill site, will be debated at a future planning meeting.