Pedestrians in Eltham have been left baffled by a new seemingly incomplete zebra crossing on the high street.

The ‘zebra crossing’ only goes halfway across the street and appears to be facing 90 degrees the wrong direction.

Charlotte Cox, a local resident, said: “Only in Eltham high street they can get it so wrong. How long will it be until the high street is complete?”

A commenter on Reddit’s London board guessed that perhaps it was “a speed accelerator for the oncoming traffic”, which another suggested that others couldn’t recognise “street art”.

Greenwich Council has insisted the road markings are “not a mistake” and that the lines are part of a pedestrian crossing instead.

A spokesperson from Greenwich Council said: “This is not a mistake and has formed part of the proposals which were widely consulted upon from the outset.

“This is a signalised pedestrian crossing, not a zebra crossing. The intention of the design is to extend the pedestrian area of Passey Place and connect the northern side of the High Street to the south.

“It ensures that the road is pedestrian-friendly rather than simply a corridor for motorists.”