A BADLY faded zebra crossing has been repainted after a retired vicar said pedestrians using it were putting their lives at risk.

Essex County Council repainted the crossing near shops in Ballards Walk, Basildon, after the Echo highlighted the Rev Ron Wiffen’s concerns last week.

The crossing is used by children walking to school, shoppers and people visiting the nearby doctor’s surgery.

Mr Wiffen, who lives in Gladwyns, off Ballards Walk, said he was delighted to see the council had acted on his concerns.

He said: “This is long overdue, but it’s fantastic to have a gleaming new crossing and I applaud Essex County Council.

“It’s made a big difference.

“Not only have they done the black and white stripes, they’ve done the zigzags on the approach as well and it really stands out now.”

He previously described the state of the pedestrian crossing as “diabolical” and urged the council to repaint the lines before a serious accident took place.

He said local motorists were aware it was there and would stop, but he feared someone from outside the area might not notice it and fail to stop.

Highway engineers from Essex County Council visited the site to ensure the area was safe for pedestrians and motorists last week, after the Echo’s article alerted them to the problem which had not been previously reported.