A “dangerous” crossing that was damaged in a crash finally has temporary traffic lights, but still cannot be switched on.

Traffic lights at the corner of Wiggenhall Road and Cardiff Road were broken in a crash on October 26 and have remained out-of-order since.

The first light on the left for vehicles coming down the hill was damaged but all the lights at the junction stopped working, leaving pedestrians without a safe way to cross. It was only after three weeks that temporary lights were installed to replace the damaged one.

One local, Andrew Gale, who would normally use the crossing to take his child to school, said that people crossing the road there while the lights were not working “were taking their lives in their hands”.

The 61-year-old added: “Traffic on Wiggenhall Road, because they have the right of way, really is dangerous there.

“There is a reason these traffic lights are there.”

Watford Observer: The junction as seen from the bridge in Wiggenhall Road.The junction as seen from the bridge in Wiggenhall Road. (Image: Google Street View)

A spokesperson for Hertfordshire County Council said: “Following the collision with the traffic light, UK Power Networks (UKPN) carried out an emergency disconnection of the electricity supply to make the site safe.

“We installed a new traffic light pillar the next day, but we cannot install the new controller until UKPN reconnect the power."

The council has apparently requested a reconnection but admitted it does not know when UKPN will complete the work.

The spokesperson added: “We have made the site safe and put ‘traffic signal out-of-order’ boards up to warn road users.

"As the reconnection of power is taking longer than expected, we have put portable temporary traffic lights at the site to aid with safety and traffic flow.”

Watford Observer: The junction as seen from Cardiff Road.The junction as seen from Cardiff Road. (Image: Google Street View)

Mr Gale said that he was glad to see the temporary lights now in place and thanked councillors Nigel Bell and Phil Bibby for their help in pushing for a safe crossing, hailing a “victory for democracy”.

However, he also highlighted that it should not have taken three weeks to be sorted out.

Cllr Bell, who represents West Watford in Hertfordshire County Council, said that when he saw the missing lights he thought “this can’t go on”.

“I was pleased to take it up,” he added. “Hopefully they will keep lobbying UKPN to get on with it and we can get back to the normal lights”.