Relatives of a much-loved aunt who died after being hit by a van on a road known to be potentially dangerous are considering legal action.

The family of Teresa McArdle say she may still be alive today if Surrey County and Elmbridge Borough councils had acted sooner after they were warned by residents in 2014 who were concerned someone would die there.

Teresa, 86, died three days after being hit by a Ford Transit van by the Shell service station in Portsmouth Road, Thames Ditton, on June 14 last year while on her way to buy a newspaper.

Her nephew Danny Jones and her sister Cherry presented a petition to the Local Committee calling for a pedestrian crossing near the Windmill Lane junction.

Addressing councillors on Monday, June 11, Mr Jones said: “It is my firm belief if action had been taken when it should have been, my aunt would likely be alive today."

The committee had received a petition in 2014 about the same road, and in 2015 heard from an officers’ report that various crossings had been considered, including a refuge island.

Councillors agreed a feasibility study should be carried out, the results of which came back to the committee in March this year.

But this study and recommendation did not include a zebra or signal crossing, although it allocated funding for the island.

Mr Jones said this meant the 2014 petition had not been respected, and “timings were allowed to slip”, which might have led to his aunt's death.

He said: “Nobody can say if she would be alive today if the crossing had been installed in a timely fashion, but one thing is for sure: a grieving family would not be left with such uncertainty if it had been.”

Responding to his comments, Cllr Rachael Lake said: “If we as a committee asked for a feasibility study relating to a request on a petition to be put in, the fact that it was changed when it left this committee concerns me.”

But Surrey Highways senior engineer Peter Shumadry said the study was “what was commissioned at the time”, and said correct process had been followed.

Councillors voted, with just one voting against, to continue with the refuge island and to monitor the progress at the next meeting in the autumn.

Mr Jones said after the meeting the family will now seek advice from a solicitor and possible legal action against the decision, saying he was "absolutely confident" another person would die there. 

He said: “I pray for the poor families of those that will be left like us mourning the loss of loved ones.”