A NEW zebra crossing has finally been opened, having been built more than a month ago — because it had to wait for a pigeon to move.

Bath and North East Somerset Council finished building the crossing across Monksdale Road in the Moorlands area of Bath in June. But a nesting pigeon in the trees nearby meant that the council could not trim the branches which were obscuring the beacon light meaning that the crossing could not officially open.

Wild birds, their eggs and their nests are protected by law. The council said it monitored the pigeon to ensure it had left the tree. Now, with the pigeon departed, the tree that was obscuring the beacon light has been cut back and the crossing is officially open.

Lucy Hodge, the council’s cabinet member for sustainable transport delivery, said: “We actively work to protect wildlife and apologise that the crossing could not be opened as planned.”

The crossing connects Moorfields Sandpits Park with the Two Tunnels cycle path, where it is replacing a previously unmarked drop kerb crossing.

Ms Hodge said: “Schemes like this provide real benefits for the local community and help make journeys safer, particularly for children walking to nearby schools. This new crossing is part of an ambitious programme of improvement works we’re delivering across Bath and North East Somerset.”

Restrictions on interfering with birds and their nests have also limited the council’s response to issues with seagulls in the city centre of Bath.

The council has some limited ability to remove eggs and the nests of seagulls, but it is only able to do so in cases where there is evidence of serious impact on someone’s health or safety due to how it is licensed by Natural England.