PEDESTRIANS are taking their lives into their hands when crossing Braintree’s most notorious junction, a campaigner has claimed.

Aidan Kelly wants to see a pedestrian crossing installed over the B1018 near the Galleys Corner roundabout.

The crossing would allow walkers and cyclist to safety access the Fowlers Farm pub, located on the opposite side of the carriageway to the likes of McDonald’s, KFC and Freeport Shopping Centre.

Mr Kelly said: “They have put in part time lights for traffic control to help the traffic flow but there is nothing to help pedestrians get across.

“I cycle quite a lot and I will come up from Freeport and I will try and go across.

“There is a sign for a cycle path pointing to the other side, but no way across the road, it does make me laugh.

“It is constantly packed with traffic coming around the road here.

“The speed that the traffic comes off the A120 makes it very dangerous.

“I am surprised someone has not been run down - it is such a busy junction.”

Mr Kelly successfully helped campaign for a pedestrian crossing to be installed on Coggeshall Road near its junction with Cressing Road a few years ago and wants to see similar improvements made in the interests of safety.

He said: “I have driven up there a few times and seen quite a few people trying to get across the road. You can see how bad it is when you drive past. It is a bit of a blind bend as well.

“I would like to see some sort of pedestrian crossing.

“There are already traffic lights there so it shouldn’t be too difficult.

“At the moment you are relying on people stopping for you to cross.”

Mr Kelly has contacted the highways department.

Highways England said that plans for a dualled A120 could potentially address the issue, however a route option has not yet been chosen and would be several years away from becoming a reality.