Boy racers could be confronted with bollards if speeding continues to be a problem in Petersfield town centre.

A councillor has suggested that bollards that rise and fall could be installed on the High Street to prevent reckless drivers from using the road as a race track.

The suggestion by Cllr Nick Drew comes after some town centre residents called for speed checks on the road, with a video nasty being circulated of speeding motorists on the shopping street.

“We had a number of residents in the town centre who shared a video,” said the Hampshire county councillor to Petersfield Town Council last Thursday.

“Clearly some people see the High Street as a race track at certain times of the day.

“One possible option I’ve seen in other towns is to have temporary bollards installed, ones that come up at certain times at night and then come down.

“We don’t want to restrict people that live there but at the same time we don’t want it to be a race track.”

No firm suggestion to install bollards has been made with the member for Petersfield Hangers stressing the idea was only a suggestion.

Both he and the gavel-banging Cllr Anne Stephenson, who chaired the meeting in the absence of Cllr Jamie Matthews, stressed the importance of gathering data with residents urged to report, rather than simply moan.

“That’s a long way down the road and there’s lots of options that will need careful consideration,” said Cllr Stephenson on the possibility of bollards being installed.

“The important thing is that every incident is reported to the police. If no-one does anything nothing will be done.”

The debate about speeding followed the good news that plans to make road safety improvements to part of Pulens Lane have finally been approved by HCC.

The project will focus on the Durford crossroads and sections to the north and south of the junction, with work on the long-awaited scheme due to begin in October.

While the changes should hopefully put the brakes on speeding drivers at the notorious junction, attention is now turning to other hotspots in the town, with the police recently carrying out speed checks on Heath Road.

“A number of residents have come forward about speeding in other parts of Petersfield,” added Cllr Drew.

“I think residents quite often say things like ‘cars are going too fast and you need to do something’ but it’s not one organisation or group that can stop it.

“Take a look at the Speed Watch group we’ve got in Steep. It’s taken some time but we have been successful in reducing speeding by working together, and they’ve managed to reduce speeding by 50 per cent.”

“The police will often say, ok, that’s all very good, but no-one has reported anything about it,” he added, in referring to speeding on the High Street and other parts of the town.

“So my message is, if there’s speeding and it’s significant enough to report, then report it, report it, report it.”