THE manager of a charity shop close to where an elderly woman was badly injured after being knocked down by a taxi has launched a petition calling for new safety measures.

A 90-year-old woman was taken to Royal Blackburn Hospital on Thursday after being hit by a silver Toyota Previa in Railway Road, Blackburn.

The woman had been crossing the road close to the bend in the road near Church Street when she was struck.

Although her condition was described as ‘stable’ yesterday, the pensioner from Blackburn suffered a broken leg and hip as well as deep cuts to her head and face and concussion.

Maria Fairhurst runs the East Lancashire Hospice shop in Railway Road, Blackburn, next to where the accident occured.

She has called for a crossing to be installed closer to the bend to cater for those not wishing to walk up the road to the zebra crossing near the old bus terminal.

Mrs Fairhurst said: “We need a crossing there. It is very dangerous and we are always seeing near misses.

“It seems a long way to get to the crossing near Morrisons, especially for people who are elderly.

“We have launched a petition and I guarantee we will be able to get hundreds of signatures.

“I will present it at the town hall once we have gathered enough support.”

Blackburn with Darwen Council’s executive member for regeneration said the council was looking at ways to make the area safer.

She said: “I am concerned people are risking their safety by crossing there instead of walking up to the zebra crossing and I would urge people not to do this.

“As part of the works going on to improve the area and the new bus station, there will be improvements made to the layout of the area.”