A grandmother has condemned a new pelican crossing and fears somebody will be killed by vehicles which are failing to stop.

South Street in Braintree has recently reverted to a two-way street after months of preparation and alterations. But Mary Clarke, of Browning Road, Braintree, is concerned the crossing at the Fairfield Road junction could soon be the scene of an accident.

Mrs Clarke said she has already had two near misses on the crossing as she attempted to cross the street with a pram carrying her two-year-old granddaughter Daisy.

"There is only a traffic signal on the left-hand side of the road and traffic coming up South Street towards Tescos are not seeing it and are driving straight through a red light when pedestrians are supposed to be crossing," said Mrs Clarke.

"Somebody is going to get killed - a little old lady or a young child - and if I did not do something about it and somebody got knocked over I would feel awful."

She added: "Anyone with any level of sense would stop but drivers just can't see the lights.

"I would like to see another set of lights put up on the other side of the road."

Principal engineer for Essex County Highways department Tony Shire said: "If you are travelling along South Street towards the High Street there are signals on both sides of the road."

"If you are travelling down South Street towards Railway Street there are signals on both sides of the road, one outside M and M Motors and one at the crossing itself."

Mr Shire said as the carriageway narrows at the junction with Fairfield Road, priority control signals are in operation meaning that only one lane of traffic is moving at any one time while the other remains stationary.

However, some problems have been brought to Mr Shire's attention.

As traffic travels towards Railway Street they are going through the first set of lights on green but by the time they have reached the second set of signals at the crossing these have changed back to red and cars are stopping here instead of going through.

Mr Shire said some buffles would soon be fitted to this signal to prevent further confusion.

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