A £160,000 crossing for pedestrians and cyclists on a main road in Oxfordshire is now in use after weeks of works.

The new toucan crossing on the A4074 in Benson was switched on for the first-time last week.

The work was paid for in full by Oxfordshire County Council, aside from a £10,000 contribution from Benson Parish Council.

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The parish council has long campaigned for the crossing, claiming there was a “danger to life of large numbers of people crossing the A4074.”

Users must now press a button and wait for the traffic lights to turn red before they can cross.

Previously there was a small stopping point for pedestrians in the middle of the road, which links Oxford and Reading.

The installation of the toucan crossing in Benson is the final stage of weeks of works that took place on the A4074 earlier this summer.

Temporary traffic lights were in place for several weeks in the village causing long delays for commuters at peak times.

The path of Church Road, where it joins the A4074, was also widened during the works to ensure that any cars turning right onto the A4074 have enough space to slow before reaching the new crossing point. 

A spokeswoman for Benson Parish Council said: “We’re expecting that the new traffic lights at this point on the road will have the effect of slowing down traffic generally and therefore creating a safer environment for all.”