A SUPERMARKET is redesigning its pedestrian access to make it safer for shoppers walking to the store.

Tesco in Duke Street, Princes Risborough, has suffered from problems with pedestrians walking to the shop from the High Street.

The initial design was for walkers to cross the road at the roundabout to the other side of the road where there is a pavement.

But many pedestrians thought crossing the road at the roundabout was too dangerous due to the speed of cars on the access road to the store.

Shoppers preferred to walk on the road to Tesco without crossing it, which was also dangerous.

Managers at Tesco then had a rethink and a safety audit was conducted, which concluded that a pavement on the left-hand side of the road was the best option.

Chairman of the town council David Allworth welcomed the move.

He said: "It needed a rethink. I think it's certainly going to make a great deal of difference to the pedestrians. If it helps to slow down traffic, it can't be anything but a good thing."

Town councillor Gary Hall also welcomed the move.

He said: "People from High Street walked down and were walking on the road. A new footpath where there wasn't one previously will help."

Ian Dunn, store manager of Tesco, said the pavement would help improve pedestrian access to the supermarket.

He said: "Basically, it's part of our concerns to improve our customer care."

Mr Dunn added that the store had realised people were travelling to the store along the road and not on the pavement and so had taken measures to ensure their safety.

The work should be finished by Monday