MORE than 1,000 people have signed a petition in a bid to improve safety on a busy Winchester road.

Residents of Worthy Road have been campaigning for a crossing to be installed near their homes for five years.

The road is the main route for children walking to St Bede C of E Primary School.

Now more than 1,000 residents have signed a petition in a bid to have their voices heard and on Sunday were joined by two fancy dress zebras to raise the awareness of the issue.

The campaigners will now put their case to councillors at a meeting on November 29.

Mother-of-three, Lucy McLoughlin, said: “I am so impressed by the overwhelming support we have had from local residents.

“It is clear that everyone is desperate to have two safe pedestrian crossings installed on Worthy Road. It is a worthy cause.

“After years of campaigning it is time for the council to listen and act. No more excuses!”

This activity follows a recent attempt from the residents to show the importance of the crossing.

As previously reported, on November 2, they inflated a temporary pop-up crossing, which cars stopped at to let children cross.

Residents said they have been campaigning since 2013, but Hampshire County Council says the volume of traffic across a 24 hour period is insufficiently heavy to qualify for a crossing.

Joyce Hall, a visually impaired resident of Worthy Road, said: “Every day I go into town crossing Worthy Road and every day I wonder if this is the day I will not cross the road safely.”

Worthy Road is one of the only major roads into Winchester city without a pedestrian crossing.