ROADS chiefs are looking for feedback on fresh safety proposals for a hazardous Johnstone junction.

Renfrewshire Council is planning to install zebra crossings on Walkinshaw Street and Dimity Street where they meet High Street in the town centre.

Two elderly women were knocked down at the junction of Walkinshaw Street and High Street last October, with one of them tragically losing her life and the other needing extensive hospital treatment.

The incident sparked calls for the council to take action and a four-week consultation was carried out in February.

A second survey has now been launched on the final proposals and residents are being urged to share their thoughts before a deadline of January 5.

The results of the original survey produced a mixture of requests for parking restrictions, installing some sort of pedestrian crossing, traffic lights or one-way system.

But zebra crossings are what council chiefs believe will be the best solution for pedestrians trying to navigate the junction.

In a statement, council officers said: “We looked at the history of the issues at this junction and they seemed mostly about the pedestrian’s difficulty with crossing the side streets, where they have to think about traffic coming from four different directions before crossing.

“Zebra crossings were chosen because they are clear and visible to drivers and can be located closer to High Street than a signalised puffin crossing which would have to be 20m away to be safe. At this distance, we didn’t think anyone would want to use them.

“We rejected the idea of a full traffic signal junction because the purpose of this proposal is not to make the traffic’s life easier but to help pedestrians.”

The council is also proposing to extend the yellow line outside Johnstone Carpets to ensure drivers for the business still have somewhere to unload.

If responses to the plan are positive, the local authority will then make the traffic order for the yellow line, identify appropriate funding and appoint a contractor to complete the work.

Residents are being asked to email ei@renfrewshire.gov.uk if they wish to share their views on the proposal.

Alternatively, they can write to Environment and Infrastructure, Renfrewshire House, Cotton Street, Paisley, PA1 1BR.