A CAMPAIGN to restore zebra crossings to Shaftesbury town centre has failed.

More than 2,000 people – nearly a third of the town’s population – signed a petition raised by nine-year-old Nancy Hawthorn in July.

The primary school pupil and her friends dressed as zebras to present the signatures to Dorset County Council’s head of highways, Andy Ackerman, at an event at Shaftesbury Guildhall in July.

But the roads chief has ruled out a return to zebra crossings, arguing that changes made to the town centre to make it more pedestrian friendly would make the striped crossing points dangerous.

“However, there are one or two places where we could look at narrowing the crossing distance, including the wide section of road near the town hall, to make it shorter and safer for elderly and disabled people to cross the road,” said Mr Ackerman.

The council had acknowledged receipt of the children’s petition and were due to send a response shortly, he added.

But Jane Hawthorn, Nancy’s mum, said she was disappointed by the council’s decision.

“There is nothing to suggest the area is more pedestrian oriented. There isn’t any signage to show pedestrians have priority, so I question that. I personally feel that having at least one zebra crossing would feel safer as Shaftesbury is a very busy town. People know what it is and how to use it.

“I think the county council’s response to the town will not go down at all well, and that the children will be very disappointed. It’s a poor show,” she added.

A working group of people from across Shaftesbury have been lobbying Dorset County Council for pedestrian priority on raised areas of the town centre’s road surface.

Cllr James Thrift said conversations between the working group and the council were “going round in circles” as they fought for signage highlighting pedestrian priority on the raised areas.