Billericay High Street is a safer place for people with visual handicaps thanks to a campaign by a blind resident to improve paving in the town centre.

Basildon District Council has installed tactile paving in two locations after officers walked the High Street pavement and had danger areas pointed out to them.

The man who highlighted the problem was unavailable for comment, but Cecil Featherstone, a friend, said: "When the council relaid the block paving they levelled the paving at the entrances to the two car parks leading off the High Street.

"Unfortunately removing the curb also removed one of the main distinguishing features a guide dog would look for to alert its owner to stop for traffic."

"Council officers had the problem demonstrated to them on a walk along the High Street and they were also shown how a guide dog could take its owner into oncoming traffic if action was not taken.

"Fortunately once this was made clear to the council it acted very quickly to sort out the situation and it is full marks to the council for its rapid response."

The council has now installed tactile paving to indicate the entrance to the car parks behind Woolworths and Waitrose.

Cllr Desmond Lake, of Burstead ward, who also approached the council over the issue, said: "I am very pleased to see all the work has been carried out and I think it will be much appreciated."

A spokeswoman for Basildon Council said: "We were contacted by the man who said he had been brushed by a car because he had not realised there was a crossing.

"Once we realised the situation we worked to resolve it."

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