CONCERNED residents have launched a petition to get a crossing installed on a “dangerous” road after a teenage girl was hit by a lorry.

People living near to the A259 Brighton Road in Shoreham are calling for a safer crossing to be installed on the busy road.

It comes after a 15-year-old Spanish language student was hit by a lorry on the road between the Saltings Roundabout and the High Street.

She was airlifted to St George’s hospital in London with multiple serious injuries.

Residents are now calling on West Sussex County Council to put in a zebra crossing on the road.

Derek King, 75, of Havenside, Shoreham, said: “I use that crossing a lot.

“It is the most dangerous road to cross.

“I was crossing that road once and a motorcycle nearly wiped me out.

“It is an accident waiting to happen.

“I can’t understand how the council has let it go on for so long.”

Mr King said the narrow island, nearer to the Saltings Roundabout, is regularly used by dogwalkers to cross the road to get to the Adur Recreation Ground.

Schoolchildren also regularly cross to get to the bus stop.

The island is the only crossing between the Saltings Roundabout and Norfolk Bridge end in Shoreham town centre.

Joanne Parsons, 55, of Ormonde Way, who started the petition, said: “The response to the petition has been really good.

“Another foreign student got hit at the same place before.

“The traffic island is narrow, if you’re in a group or taking your dog to Adur Recreation Ground it is very dangerous.”

Sussex Police said the language student remained in a critical condition yesterday.

The teen was hit at 1.20pm on Friday.

The driver of the black Mercedes HGV, a 55-year-old man from Portsmouth, was uninjured in the incident.

A spokesman for West Sussex County Council said: “Our thoughts are with the victim and her family at this time.

“We always encourage communities to identify to us any highway concerns they may have.

“Each year we deliver community-driven schemes through our Integrated Works Programme (IWP), which includes new pedestrian crossings.

“All community schemes applications must be supported by the local member and discussions should take place with them before an application is submitted.”

You can sign the petition by visiting change.org/p/west-sussex-county-council-getting-a-zebra-crossing-on-the-a259-shoreham-by-sea.