RESIDENTS campaigning for a safe place to cross a busy road in Petersfield have been lobbying candidates in the forthcoming East Hampshire District Council (EHDC) by-election.
Residents of the Stoneham Park estate between the Bell Hill roundabout and the A3 slip roads on Winchester Road say they risk their lives crossing the road.
Last Thursday, they met Liberal Democrat candidate David Podger and spoke with Independent candidate Jamie Matthews, who are both standing in the Bell Hill ward by-election for the district council seat.
The campaigners claim that speeding cars, narrow and, in places, non-existent pavements, and no safe pedestrian crossing, put those trying to cross the road -, especially the young and old – at risk.
As part of their campaign to raise awareness, residents’ children have drawn posters asking that cars slow down, with a view to putting them on display.
Campaigner Kathy Dilks, who has lived on the estate for 35 years, said: “The volume of traffic has increased enormously, but it’s the speed that we object to. The speed is dreadful.”
Worried mother Lauren Bryant, who also lives on the estate, added: “We can be standing for ages trying to cross the road to get the children to school, and no one will stop for us.”
The campaigners also say the footpath from Beckham Lane to the Bell Hill roundabout, the only place pedestrians can cross Winchester Road, is too narrow to use safely.
Road safety is the responsibility of Hampshire County Council (HCC), but the county council contracts out road safety surveys in Petersfield to EHDC.
Last year a petition signed by hundreds of residents calling for safety works on the road was sent to HCC.
In response, the council said it was scaling back work on reducing speed limits, physical traffic calming measures, and heavy goods vehicle controls, unless required to support casualty reduction.