A petition with hundreds of signatures requesting a pedestrian crossing on Thames Avenue will not be debated at the full council meeting tonight (Thursday) - despite being submitted within the 14-day deadline.

It is understood that a mix-up between council staff and the petitioners means it appeared, initially, that there were not enough signatures on the petition to trigger a debate in the chamber.

That has since been resolved, but not in time for Thursday’s meeting.

The petition will now be discussed at the next meeting of the full council on Thursday 16 February – when the councillors will also be asked to approve the budget for the next financial year.

The petitioners, led by Stanka Adamcova, would like a crossing installed at the bottom of the hill on the busy road in Haydon Wick, between Trent Road and Pen Close.

One of the signatories is former council leader Tony Mayer who said: “There’s a speed bump at the top of the hill, but traffic has got up speed by the time it gets to the bottom of the hill.

“As the road swings left there is a raised surface – but that’s where we need the crossing, especially because that’s where people cross to get to the schools.”