A PARENT has questioned the lack of action to provide pedestrian crossings since a major supermarket opened in Ringwood.

A proportion of funds given to Hampshire County Council (HCC) from Lidl as part of the firm’s development in Christchurch Road have been set aside to improve safety for people travelling on foot in the area. However, updates and progress on the delivery of the controlled crossings have not been forthcoming.

Ringwood Town councillors have continually pressed the county authority on the issue. In November, the town council’s planning committee noted the progress of a crossing both north and south of the Lidl roundabout to a detailed design stage.

Mother Elainna Tribe said: “We went to the council three years ago before Lidl had been built asking for crossings.

“The council agreed to pursuing three and the subject has always come up in meetings but very little progress has been made.

“Lidl came along with their proposal and talked about the crossings, but they have still never been done. The council is now talking about two crossings rather than three.

“It is a ridiculous situation. All the children who live in this part of Ringwood walk up the road to get to school and there is no safe place for them to cross.

“I see them running across the road all the time. People have only narrowly avoided getting badly injured.”

The latest projects plan produced by Ringwood Town Council says Hampshire County Council had aimed to complete detailed design for crossings to the north and south of the Lidl roundabout by the end of 2018, with works expected to be completed by April.

Ms Tribe added: “The road gets even busier when they are doing the work on the A338, which makes the situation a lot worse.

“We have waited long enough. The whole thing is unbelievable.”

A HCC spokesman said “I can confirm that plans for a crossing are being discussed, and more details will be available in January.”