PEDESTRIAN safety concerns about a busy T-junction in St Albans city centre have prompted a plea for urgent improvements.

The Herts Advertiser has received several complaints about the junction between Victoria Street and Chequer/St Peter’s Street.

Traffic is often stopped across the pedestrian crossing near a newsagents on the corner, or being driven through it despite the green man being lit.

Chris White, Herts county councillor for St Albans Central, is calling for action over the junction, explaining it is less than ideal, “with large numbers of pedestrians and vehicles”.

He added: “Lately I am hearing more and more concerns about safety. Pedestrians find it very difficult to read traffic movements and cars are often caught straddling the junction because of queues along Chequer Street.

“At the very least the county council needs to look at providing a yellow box junction and I have written to ask them to do so.”

Cllr White added: “There are increasing numbers of vehicles turning right illegally from Chequer Street. The police need to have a crackdown before someone is run over.”

A local pedestrian, who did not want to be named, said: “I use the crossing at least twice a day and every time I step out into the road, even when there is a green man flashing, I feel like I am taking my life into my own hands.

“There have been several instances where cars have failed to stop at a red light and others times when I am left standing there for several minutes trying to decide if it is safe for me to cross.

“This crossing is one big accident waiting to happen and I feel it needs a serious re-think by town planners.”

She said it also did not help to have buses driven close to pedestrians waiting to cross St Peter’s Street, outside the front of the old Town Hall, and she had seen some close calls with mothers and prams.

A spokesman for the county council said they would look into the issue.