ALTON is to benefit from the installation of two new pedestrian crossings.
Approval has been given by Hampshire County Council for a toucan crossing at Butts Road, close to the junction with Borovere Lane.
A similar crossing is to be installed at Whitedown Lane, at the junction with Chawton Park Road, to be funded by the developers as a condition of planning permission for houses and GP surgery on the former Treloar Hospital site.
The news has come as something of a relief for Butts Road crossing campaigners, shocked to have their concerns justified following an accident last month in which a teenager was knocked down while trying to cross the road. The incident, they believe, served to prove, beyond doubt, the need for such a measure.
Another Ònear missÓ on the road on Tuesday has added to concerns that while now on the cards for implementation, the crossing will still be a long time coming.
According to campaign leader Moira Galliver, the incidents have fuelled fears that, with the school holidays fast approaching and youngsters using the Butts as a play area, there is a need for the crossing to be installed earlier rather than later. As such they will be pushing for installation at the earliest possible date.
It was Mrs Galliver herself who almost fell foul of the road in this latest incidence. She was seeing a large group of children and parents from Butts School across the road when somebody refused to stop and drove round her, brushing her arm. ÒEverybody thought the car was going to knock me down,Ó she said.
The decision to go ahead with the Butts Road crossing was made last week by HCC executive member for the environment Keith Estlin.
According to local county councillor Dr Tony Ludlow, the design, consultation and building will be completed as soon as possible, hopefully by September
ÒIt will take the form of a light-controlled toucan crossing allowing both pedestrians and cyclists to cross and will be close enough to Borovere Lane to encourage pedestrians to use it whether they are going into town or to the Butts School,Ó said Dr Ludlow.
In the meantime, campaigners had asked for temporary signs to be installed along Butts Road, alerting drivers to the fact that children have to cross the road unaccompanied and on a regular basis. But this idea appears to be a non starter.
Dr Ludlow has looked into the suggestion but said that HCC head of traffic management Graham Carter has advised that in practice such signs do not work.