A huge town centre overhaul could become an “unmitigated disaster”, a councillor has warned – amid fears roadworks on a major road will cause gridlock across the town.

Work on phase five of the High Wycombe town centre masterplan – to turn Queen Victoria Road and Easton Street into two-way roads – is set to get underway on July 2, but concerns have been raised over the impact it will have on traffic in the town.

The £3.7 million overhaul will see Queen Victoria Road have two lanes of traffic heading up towards Crendon Street and one lane coming back down towards Abbey Way.

Plans to include a zebra crossing outside the council offices will not be taken forward – prompting outrage from councillors.

Instead of a zebra crossing, there will be an “informal” crossing, which will feature a central reservation and different road surface to indicate to drivers that pedestrians can cross, due to safety concerns.

John Callaghan, team leader for infrastructure and projects at Wycombe District Council, said a zebra crossing was thought to be unsafe for pedestrians trying to cross three lanes of traffic.

Cllr Sebert Graham said it would be “hellish” for pedestrians to try and cross the busy road. He said: “We need a pedestrian crossing – it is going to be extremely busy and people who come to the council always cross here.”

Cllr Lesley Clarke added: “A lot of us have been very disappointed that we don’t have a crossing across Queen Victoria Road because a majority of people cross just by the gates and they use the car park to go to theatre. It is a good place to have a crossing.

“To have an informal crossing is just showing total indifference to members of the public trying to cross here.

“Informal crossings are not understood. They are totally not understood by drivers and the number of people who have had near misses when they stood out on a crossing is numerous.

“I'm extremely worried that with the amount of traffic we have on Queen Victoria Road that we could even contemplate putting an informal crossing and not a proper crossing, it is ludicrous.”

Mr Callaghan said the zebra crossing would not be suitable due to its proximity to the signalled crossing at the top of Queen Victoria Road.

He said: “There is always a risk the traffic on the inside may stop but someone travelling in the middle lane won’t have the pedestrian in their sight and there could be a collision. That was the overriding safety reason as I understand.

“There is also an issue of traffic flow. It is a busy road for pedestrians and vehicles. The feeling is that this is a significant improvement from the current situation.”

Cllr Tony Green said the masterplan design which has already been put in place in Desborough Road has shown that informal crossings “do not work”.

He said: “You have got rid of a perfectly good zebra crossing and replaced it with an informal one so people have to dart out to cross the road. People don’t understand there has been a change in traffic priority. There are no signs. It is an unmitigated disaster in terms of road safety.”

Mr Callaghan said accident rates in Desborough Road have not reflected that the new design has been a disaster.

Meanwhile, a proposed footpath that would have cut through the library gardens will now not be built after concerns were raised.

Phase five is expected to be completed by April 2019.