A PEDESTRIAN crossing which has been heavily criticised for not being visible to motorists is to have further safety measures added.

The zebra crossing in New Road, Princes Risborough, was the subject of a safety audit by Buckinghamshire County Council after criticism from residents and councillors since its installation in early February.

County councillor Dennis Green (Con, Princes Risborough) said people crossing the road were 'taking their lives into their hands', while Princes Risborough Town Councillor Gary Hall condemned the crossing as 'appalling'.

Officers looked at a range of measures including moving Belisha beacons nearer the road and rumble strips across the road but these have been discounted for the time being.

It was decided that skid-resistant surfacing, which is designed to improve resistance to skidding at junctions and on approach to pedestrian crossings, would be put on the road.

The new surface will be a contrasting colour to the normal road surface as an additional traffic-calming measure.

Work will take place on August 4, weather permitting, with traffic controlled signals at the site.

But Cllr Green still wants to see a pelican crossing in place.

He said he would like to see work done in the early part of next year to convert the crossing, though this would cost around £15,000.

Members of Princes Risborough Town Centre Forum had pressed for a traffic island in the centre of the crossing but officers for the council's highways department said the road was too narrow and it would be unsafe for cyclists and parents with buggies crossing the road.

The forum is now waiting to see whether the work will improve visibility at the crossing which had caused problems for drivers because the crossing is sited at the top of a hill.

Cllr Green said incidents of near misses had been reported to him where cars had nearly knocked pedestrians over, while Brian Hill, of New Road, said there had been some near misses.

But Mike Knight, of Buckinghamshire County Council, said skid marks on the crossing were from cars turning out of driveways onto the zebra crossing and not from drivers having to brake sharply.