WITNEY organisations have called for the replacement of a pedestrian crossing which was removed during roadworks.

Brigitte Hickman, of Witney’s Living Streets group, has led the way in asking Oxfordshire County Council for a replacement for the crossing, which was originally outside the Nuffield Health Centre, in Welch Way.

Mrs Hickman and other protesters are due to meet with county council officers in February to discuss the problem.

The 43-year-old, of Farmers Close, said: “Now that the crossing has been removed, people have to wait along this busy street to cross the road to get to the shops in Marriotts Walk “Anyone standing at the site of the absent crossing for a few moments will see the number of near-misses. It is just a matter of time before someone gets injured.”

County Hall spokesman, Marcus Mabberley, said the crossing was removed as part of the Marriotts Walk development.

He said: “The previous pedestrian crossing was altered as part of the associated improvement works for the Marriotts Walk development.

“The amount of traffic using Welch Way is higher than was estimated when the decision was taken to alter the pedestrian crossing facility.”

He added the road was being monitored, and would be assessed as part of a road safety report once the Marriotts Walk development has been fully completed.

Richard MacKenzie, from Sustainable Witney, said: “If we want to work towards lower carbon emissions in the town, we will need to encourage more walking and cycling in Witney.

“Unfortunately at the moment, without safe places to cross over Welch Way, our local government is failing our pedestrians.

“Surely we don’t have to wait for someone to be killed or injured before someone takes action?”

Sustainable Witney has called for a zebra crossing to be installed at the same point where the pedestrian crossing was.

The £50m Marriotts Walk centre opened in October. However, the final stages of building work will not be completed until March.