A SET of new traffic lights at a busy junction could lead to tragedy an Ipswich man has warned.Jon George of Murray Road claims he has had two near misses on a Felixstowe Road pedestrian crossing in the past couple of months.

By Jessica Nicholls

A SET of new traffic lights at a busy junction could lead to tragedy an Ipswich man has warned.

Jon George of Murray Road claims he has had two near misses on a Felixstowe Road pedestrian crossing in the past couple of months.

The lights have been there since the new Co-op and Aldi stores were opened three months ago.

Mr George said the problem has occurred because there are no traffic lights attached to the pedestrian crossing to warn oncoming traffic that people on foot have the right of way.

There is a set of traffic lights at the crossroads just yards from the new pedestrian crossing but Mr George claims they do not work in synchronisation.

He said: "If cars get caught up in traffic on that stretch there is nothing to indicate to them that pedestrians have the right of way so they just carry on going.

"I have had a couple of near misses on that crossing but when I told the police I was told that if something had happened no-one would be to blame because there is nothing to tell the motorist that they should not be there."

Although Ipswich Borough Council is already looking into the problem and is trying to fix it, Mr George feels that it is taking too long.

He said that the lights ought to be switched off until something is done to make the road safer.

"This is a major road used by two lots of school children from Derby Road and Copleston.

"It should be a question of priority for the council," he said.

Mr George said other neighbours have also complained to the council about the crossing but still nothing has been done.

He added that switching the lights off should not cause a problem because there are another set of pedestrian lights 100 yards down the road, but the highways department had wanted the new set built when the new superstores opened.

A spokesman for Ipswich Borough Council said that consultant engineers would be visiting the site today. .

He said: "We will be looking at changing the sequence of the lights.

"If we can speed up the movement of traffic, cars will be stopped at the first traffic lights and when they go they will have more time to get all the way through.

"That will make the crossing safer."

He said that the council was aware of Mr George's concerns and were doing all they can to make the area safer, but were unable to give a date as to when the changes would be implemented.