Residents living near Charlie Brown’s Roundabout are celebrating a long running campaign to have pedestrianised crossings installed.

The fight for a safer way to cross the busy roundabout has been running for decades, and this month saw Transport for London (TfL) finally agree to fund and install pedestrian crossings and signals.

Roding ward councillor Gwyneth Deakins has been supporting the campaign and said she is delighted with their success.

She said: “There are four roads leading off it, and while there are crossing places, there have never been any signals or pedestrian crossings. Local people have been campaigning for many, many years to have a pedestrian crossing put in.

“It’s goog news that TfL are saying they’re going to put one in after such a long time.

“The roads are so horrifically dangerous that it has put people off crossing, but some people still risk it to get to Tesco.

“It is about time TfL recognised the acute dangers for pedestrians trying to cross these roads.

“And the traffic signals should help to ease the congestion which has got worse in Chigwell Road recently.”

TfL said they will start design work this spring, with the whole scheme likely to take around three years for completion, including the detailed design, procurement and construction.

The transport body originally drew up designs for a traffic signal/crossing scheme some six or seven years ago, but despite promises that it would go ahead it was cancelled. “

We will be keeping a very close eye on developments this time,” said Cllr Deakins. “W don’t want our residents to be let down again.”