Children face a 15-minute detour just to cross the road to get to school, angry parents claim.

A zebra crossing outside Riversdale Primary School in Replingham Road, Southfields, has been removed.

But the pelican crossing intended to take its place is still not working because engineers have not yet switched on the traffic lights.

In the meantime, Anne Newton says she and other parents can either walk all the way to the junction of Merton and Kimber Roads or can take their lives in their hands and try and dodge the traffic.

"It's a nightmare when you've got 200 children at the school," said the mum of one. "My son knows you can get squashed by a car but a lot of the children have no road sense.

"And I've had car drivers having a go at me when I try and cross. White Van Man is a reality, I can tell you."

A Wandsworth Council spokesman said the zebra crossing had to be removed so new road surfaces could be laid. Legally there must also be no confusion as to what sort of crossing drivers are approaching. He said the council would try and provide a lollipop person.

"Replacing the old zebra crossing with a traffic light controlled pelican crossing is a significant safety improvement. We've done all the preparatory work and the traffic lights are now in a position to be switched on.

"However, the organisation responsible for doing this, which is part of Mayor Livingstone's Transport for London, has let us down. It was supposed to do this work early this week but now it says it can't do it until next week at the earliest.

"Unfortunately we aren't allowed to do this simple task although we would love to take over all the traffic light works in the borough. Transport for London is responsible for all the lights in London so it's fair to say delays are very commonplace."

A spokesman for Transport for London said: "There is an electrical mains fault but the problem is being sorted out.

"We are doing our best and are 90 per cent sure the lights will be operational by Friday, December 14."

December 13, 2001 15:30