Residents campaigning for safety improvements to Haydons Road in Wimbledon have clashed with Merton Council over installing a temporary solution to the problem.

They say speeding cars are putting pedestrians using the road at risk and are lobbying Transport for London to introduce a push-button puffin crossing as a permanent solution to the problem.

But even if the bid is succesful the crossing would take at least 18 months to install.

At a public meeting on Saturday, councillor Andrew Judge, the council’s cabinet member for environment and regeneration, said the council could install a traffic island in the middle of the road as a temporary safety measure.

Bur campaigner Joy Sansom said a zebra crossing would be a better temporary alternative, and was unanimously backed by the 75 people who attended the meeting, at the Bethel United Church Hall in Kohat Road.

She said coun Judge had agreed to re-examine the option with council officers.