MAYOR of London Boris Johnson is facing a backlash over plans to cull "life-saving" cycle and pedestrian crossings in Coulsdon.

Transport for London (TfL) wants to remove crossings on Brighton Road and Farthing Way, saying they are not used enough to be worth keeping, at a time when the mayor wants to remove traffic lights across London to improve traffic flow.

But Charles King, chairman of the East Coulsdon Residents' Association, said the toucan crossing on Brighton Road, in between the southern bypass roundabout and Hollymeoak Road, "saves lives, while being of little inconvenience to motorists".

"The crossing is well used by mothers and schoolchildren," he added.

"Are we now in an era where the mayor is more interested in motorists than pedestrians and children?"

Cyclist Neil Marshall uses the crossing daily and sais its removal would force him to risk his life next to the cars, or cycle illegally on the footway to reach the cycle path.

He added: "As set out in TfL's own cycle design guide, cyclists are 14 times more likely to be involved in a collision than other vehicles at roundabouts."

The second crossing up for removal, on Farthing Way, just north of the Marlpit Lane roundabout, is the "main route to school for a lot of people," said Mr King.

He added: "Again, these lights do not cause much problem to motorists, so they should be kept as it is better to be safe."

TfL said a 12-hour study in December showed that the crossing on Brighton Road was used 5 per cent of the time during a peak period.

It claims that only four people used the crossing on Marlpit Lane during the same time period.