A PENSIONER who witnessed a near-miss accident on a Bournemouth crossing was stunned when police told him drivers had “no obligation” to let people cross there.

George Giles, of Castle Lane West, complained to the police after he saw a motorist drive straight through the pedestrian crossing at Hamblin Way, Castlepoint, missing an elderly woman by inches.

He gave the police the driver’s registration number and reported him for driving without due care and attention but was shocked when police told him there was little they could do because the crossing was not an official pedestrian crossing and was on private land.

“I was gobsmacked,” said Mr Giles, 65. “I find it incredible because that is the main crossing from Castle Lane into Castlepoint and is used by loads of people.

“If it’s not a pedestrian crossing then what is it? And what’s the point of having a crossing if drivers are not obliged to stop? It’s just ridiculous.”

Peter Matthews, Castlepoint’s general manager, said they had made every effort to make the crossing as safe as possible.

“Over the last three years we have tried desperately to prevent any accidents there,” he said. “We removed the crossing by the library because drivers were speeding around the corner and we’ve put railings all the way along.

“We set a speed limit of 20mph and installed a speed sign to tell people what speed they were travelling at in an effort to slow people down.

“We’ve also increased the lighting around the crossing to make it as visible as possible and we are looking at installing Belisha beacons there in the future but we can’t force motorists to drive responsibly.”

A spokesperson for Dorset Police confirmed they used the details given by Mr Giles to trace a motorist and inform him that a complaint had been made.

He was given words of advice but was told no further action would be taken.

“Because it is a zebra crossing and on private land there’s no legal obligation for motorists to stop,” the spokesperson said.