TOWN centre traders have urged the council to review the siting of pedestrian crossings on Railway Road in Blackburn as work to replace drop kerbs on the corner with High Street takes place.

Newsagent Shabaz Zaffar and trade boss Tony Duckworth are concerned shoppers are risking their safety by using the former temporary crossing on the corner with Church Street and Salford.

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In November 2013 a 90-year-old woman was taken to Royal Blackburn Hospital after being hit by car at the junction.

She had been crossing the road on the bend when she was struck.

Then manager of East Lancashire Hospice charity shop next to the accident site, Maria Fairhurst, called for a new crossing closer to the bend.

Now Mr Zaffar, of the adjoining Railway News, has made a similar call after the temporary Pelican Crossing at the spot, installed during road works for the £33 million Cathedral Quarter development, was removed.

Special paving across the highway remains in place misleading pedestrians.

He said: “People still think it is a crossing and are still using it.

“It’s dangerous and I think they need to rearrange the crossings when the new one at the railway station is back in use.

“They should close the zebra opposite Morrisons and re-site it nearer the bend or someone is going to get injured again.”

Mr Duckworth, president of Blackburn and District Chamber of Trade said: “I think they should review the siting of the crossings when all the works are finished.”

Borough Cathedral Quarter boss Clare Turner said “Following a review and as part of the improvements, two new crossings are to be added on Salford that will serve pedestrians from the Bus Station.

“The existing crossing on Railway Road will remain in its current location. The former zebra crossing between the train station and the Cathedral Quarter will reopen later in the year.”

Mr Duckworth and borough Tory group leader Mike Lee are also concerned that the corners of High Street and Railway Road by the Adelphi pub has been dug up again to instal drop kerbs for disabled access.

Steve Rawlinson, project manager for contractors Eric Wright, said: “When the granite kerbs were delivered for the corners, our suppliers sent the wrong ones.

“As gas mains were to be reconnected this month, we decided to wait until that work was completed to instal the drop kerbs.

“The work on the Adelphi corner should be finished by the end of the week.