TRADERS are calling for “life-saving” changes to be made to a busy zebra crossing in Hendon.

For years the crossing in Church Road has been dubbed a death trap for pedestrians and now people working nearby want Barnet Council to make it safer.

In November last year, 91-year-old Jack Newbury was on his way to work at his business Hillary Press Printers in Church Road when he was hit by a car on the crossing.

He spent eight weeks in hospital where he was treated for a bleeding and collapsed lung, 13 cracked ribs and a broken pelvis.

Mr Newbury, who lives in Hendon with his wife Dorothy, said: “I have been using that crossing every day to walk to work for 45 years and it’s very dangerous.

“Over the years the traffic has increased and drivers go far too quickly without taking any notice of pedestrians.”

Mr Newbury cannot remember the incident which police are currently gathering evidence for.

Recalling his time in hospital he said: “The staff were really great and I started to recover very quickly – I think one of the reasons was because I do a hell of a lot of walking.

“But the worst part was not being able to sleep at night, lying awake watching the clock and the hallucinations, thinking things were there when they weren’t.”

Despite having currently returned to work Mr Newbury said he is “reluctant to cross the road” and a colleague drives him to the printers.

He said: “I seriously hope nobody else will be in the same situation as me, it wasn’t very nice.

“Something needs to be done – I think proper traffic lights with a green man would make it a lot safer for everyone.”

Adriana Morosan and Nesar Kohestani work in Munchizz cafe and both agree traffic lights would be a solution to the problem.

Mrs Morosan said: “It’s not safe at all – after Jack’s accident I hate crossing there and if nothing is done another accident will happen again and again.”

Around two weeks ago Mr Kohestani said a car narrowly missed hitting him whilst he was on the crossing.

He said: “I think the cars coming down the hill go faster and sometimes they can’t see people trying to cross because cars parked up on the side of the road block their view.

“If changes are made to this crossing it could seriously be life-saving.”

Nori Kaviani has worked in Pizza Gogo for two years and said: “Drivers don’t pay attention to the crossing or to the people waiting at the side of the road.”

He said: “Too many times I have seen drivers slam down on their breaks and have been so close to hitting someone.

“I always warn my wife and kids to just wait and wait until the cars on both sides have stopped.”

The council has said it has no records of anyone being injured on the crossing from the beginning of November 2007 to the end of October 2010.

However, Jiten Shah, owner of MMS Newsagents for 24 years, said every month two to three customers tell him they have narrowly missed being hit by a car.

Mr Shah said the crossing is too close to the junction at Sunny Gardens Road and cars drive too quickly.

He said: “I have actually been on the crossing when a car has come round not realising I was there.

“I think the solution would be to either move the crossing further away from the junction, speed bumps on the road or traffic lights.

“Something needs to be done because if not there will be a fatality.”

However, a spokesperson for the council said traditional zebra crossings are safer than traffic lights and are “well understood by motorists and pedestrians alike.”