A RESIDENT has criticised a council after it made a late alteration to the West Wycombe Road project to install a pedestrian crossing outside his home.

David Griffiths said he was shocked to discover Buckinghamshire County Council contractors installing the crossing - not part of the original Chapel Lane/A40 realignment plans - metres away from his driveway.

The retired furniture manufacturer said he was not notified about the crossing, which he believes could be dangerous, and called BCC’s actions “deplorable”.

He told the BFP: “The first I knew about it was late February when I saw contractors marking up the pavement outside my house. I asked them what they were doing and they told me they were putting in a crossing.

“I rang the council straight away and said there had been no notification about it and it wasn’t in the original plans. I also wrote to them three times last week asking them to stop but my emails have been ignored.

“It’s so close to my driveway entrance, I worry that I will not be able to see any pedestrians on the crossing over my boundary wall which restricts my vision as I exit in my car.

"I’ll probably get called a NIMBY; it’s not that, I think it’s dangerous. I think the council has just pushed this through, it’s deplorable.”

Transport for Buckinghamshire, the council’s transportation arm, confirmed the crossing was not initially part of the West Wycombe Road plans but the ‘project team felt it would not have a negative effect on traffic flow’.

The proposals were first made public during a presentation to Downley Parish Council on August 30 before a further presentation last month.

Wycombe Local Community Partnership and West Wycombe Parish Council were also made aware of the plans, which were uploaded to BCC's website and social media, TfB said.

Dan Elworthy, TfB spokesman, added: “As the Highway Authority for the county, Buckinghamshire County Council does not require planning permission for these proposals.”