WE reported this week on a baffling new zebra crossing in Horwich where the crossing posts have been erected not at the side of the kerb but inches from shop fronts.

The posts are virtually touching the buildings on Winter Hey Lane.

The flashing beacons are yet to be installed, but when they are, one will be directly in front of the first floor window of a dentist's surgery on the street, meaning patients could be forced to have rather illuminating appointments.

Other shoppers we spoke to on the street described the positioning of the new crossing as a nonsense and said the job had not been thought through properly.

They also pointed out that drivers may not be quite so quick to spot the crossing lights if they are not right next to the road. They are bang on.

Bolton Council, whose workers have carried out the job, has defended the new crossing, saying that the pavements are not wide enough for the posts to be put at the side of the kerb.

A spokesman told us that wheelchairs may not be able to get past if the posts were placed at the side of the kerb.

They also said that the beacons would be "shrouded" meaning that shops would not be affected by the flashing lights.

It reminds me of another case we reported on last year in Little Lever, where lights were put slap bang in the middle of a pavement.

Ironically, on this occasion, this meant wheelchairs would struggle to get past.

Bungling workmen were forced to dig up the lights at the road crossing just weeks after installing them — after residents complained they were blocking mobility scooters, wheelchairs and buggies.

The gaffe was made this time not by the council but by Transport for Greater Manchester — but whoever is carrying out these works, it seems they can’t do right for doing wrong.

One week they put the lights near to the kerb and are criticised for blocking wheelchairs; the next week they try to avoid this issue and still end up getting stick.

I would have some sympathy with the authorities, but for one, I’m a journalist and we love blunders like this, and two, what was needed in both cases was a common sense approach.

It needs the workers who are carrying out the job not just shrug their shoulders and follow their orders, but to flag up any potential issues like this.

Then it needs someone with a bit of creative nous to study the problem and come up with a more creative solution.

That way, a lot of time and money could be saved — as well as the blushes of town hall chiefs.