A DISABLED woman has hit out after being struck by a van at a pedestrian crossing that is "not fit for purpose".

Ann Roberts, 65, had the front left wheel of her mobility scooter sheared off in the accident when using the pedestrian crossing at the junction between Foryd Road and St Asaph Avenue in Kinmel Bay.

Rhyl Journal:

Ann Roberts was bruised on her left arm after being struck by a van when the traffic lights cleared her crossing. Picture: Kerry Roberts

She claims the recently upgraded lights flashed on to signal her crossing on Monday, July 8, before immediately turning off and signalling traffic to move as she left the kerb, and is calling for something to be done before a fatal incident happens.

Mrs Roberts said: "I'd only just on to the road after waiting for the green man to come on, it briefly flashed on and by the time I'd reacted to cross over to Asda it went off again.

"I was just off the curb when the van clipped me and sheared the front left wheel off my scooter.

"I can't remember where the van was coming from - or even to think to ask the driver's name - I was so stunned after being knocked off my scooter. But I do remember the driver of the van explaining that the lights went green for them.

"I'm lucky, I've only got a bruise on my arm. What would of happened if it had been a person with a pushchair? A baby could have been killed by these lights."

Mrs Roberts, who has been paralysed on her left side since a car accident in 1976, called Conwy County Borough Council the following the following day to notify them off the fault. As of Monday 15, the crossing currently only gives pedestrians seven seconds to cross to the other side.

The installation of this new traffic light system is the result of roadworks which have increased Foryd Road from one lane to two, which were completed last week after more than six months. Previously, the pedestrian crossing also had it's signal visible on the other side of the crossing, which has since been moved to the other side of the road.

Mrs Roberts added: "It's good job it hit my left arm, because it's paralysed anyway - what must the council be thinking to let us use lights that aren't fit for purpose?"

"I've been too scared to go back and use the crossing, and my scooter is currently being repaired, but when I got a taxi to ASDA on Sunday the driver told me lots of people are complaining about this.

"What they need to understand if they're going to change the system here is that there are a lot of elderly people in Kinmel Bay who can't gallop across to get the other side - we're not athletes.

"We're all used to the old system, which gave us more time to cross. We need more warning if they're going to change it."

When the Journal asked the council if the seven second time is standard for the crossing, they did not dispute this.

A spokesperson for CCBC said: "We will keep monitoring the junction because it always takes a bit of time for road users to get used to changes, but we can confirm that the timings for the green walking figure are in line with the Department for Transport guidance."