The vice chairman of Sutton Vision, a charity that helps blind or partially sighted residents feel enabled and empowered, has said he is 'scared out of his life' and will no longer go to Hackbridge because the new crossings are too dangerous.

Michael Parsons, 61, from the Hackbridge area, is also a trained access consultant with 20 years experience and has advised organisations such as Kent County Council and Transport for London.

He said: "I used to use this area and local community including the shops and post office.

"I can't any more.

"I can't use these crossings any more, I'm scared out of my life."

Mr Parsons, who only has 3 per cent vision, which he describes as looking through a straw with cling film on the end, says blind or partially sighted people rely on building lines for guidance and can then feel they have approached a safe place to cross by changes in the pavement. At this point they tell their guide dog to find the crossing.

He said the new crossings are too far from the walls so any markings in the road are missed meaning he doesn't know when to tell his dog Quinn, 5, when to cross the road and often ends up walking hundreds of metres past where he wants to go.

Mr Parsons added: "I tried to use the crossing.

"I started on the crossing and 14 vehicles drove past me. We hear we are supposed to make eye contact with the driver.

"I had to wait for 14 vehicles to drive past me and still had to wait for vehicles on the other side to stop."

He added that a 2006 guide for the blind says the main reasons people can become trapped in their homes is fear, feeling unsafe, and a lack of confidence and these crossing only make all these things worse