AN eight-vehicle accident in Camelsdale on Sunday has reignited residents' concerns about the speed of traffic using the road. Residents looked on in horror as a white Mercedes van clipped one car and then shunted and wrecked six other parked cars in the incident in Camelsdale Road just before 6-30 pm on Sunday. A concerned resident told The Herald: "A car was approaching Camelsdale from the Midhurst direction and, as it was turning into a driveway, a Mercedes van came up behind it, glanced off it and then damaged six parked cars. Luckily no-one was hurt; they were just very shaken. "Camelsdale is used as a 'nip through'. What we need is some kind of road signage similar to Fernhurst's. When the new estate was built a couple of years ago, we argued that there would be traffic problems. "We were promised a crossing in Camelsdale Road, which we thought would be near the bus stop for the children living on the estate. "Camelsdale feels it's the poor relation with regards to West Sussex's traffic-calming measures. In Fernhurst, they have lines across the road and cameras to control speeding. "Fernhurst has everything. Camelsdale is used as a rat-run for Midhurst and vice versa. Cars just bomb through." Residents were due to hold a meeting at the village school last night (Thursday) to express their concerns about the speed of traffic using Camelsdale Road as a rat-run. Police, council officers and residents were due to meet to discuss the issue. Residents' concerns about traffic in the Camelsdale Road area have been simmering since as long ago as 2001. Fears were expressed then that there would be increased traffic when the go-ahead was given to developer SC Properties to build a new estate in Sturt Road. Contacted this week, a West Sussex County Council spokesman told The Herald that, in the last three years, there have been two injury accidents in the Camelsdale Road area. This did not meet the criteria for reduced speed limits, he said. "The council does monitor roads where there have been accidents and keeps them under review. If residents have concerns, they are welcome to write to the council, " he said. After the initial phone call, West Sussex County Council came back with the following statement: "There is an intention to install a pedestrian crossing in the area. It is currently being investigated and would be funded by the recent development." But residents have been waiting two years for the crossing, as one of the conditions under which Chichester District Council gave the go-ahead to the 21-house development in Sturt Road was that developer SC Properties would fund road- safety measures near the new homes. At a Lynchmere Parish Council meeting in 2004, councillors voted nine to one in favour of the crossing, despite a number of misgivings. West Sussex county councillor Tex Pemberton said earlier this week: "I am aware of the accident and understand that a number of cars were hit. I am waiting to hear what the police have to say. "I assume the driver misjudged, as the road narrows with the parked cars. But parking on the street acts as natural traffic calming. "The new development has now paid for the installation of a new crossing, and there will be an investigation as to where it should go. We may have to move some on-street parking. "The design and detail of the crossing will be completed early in the next financial year. After that, there will be an informal consultation, followed by a formal consultation with the public. "Thursday's meeting at Camelsdale School is about the 'Kill your Speed' project, to get the parish to sign up to the campaign." Another concerned resident and governor of Camelsdale School, who also did not wish to be named, said: "There was a campaign two to three years ago for a school crossing near Camelsdale School, but nothing was done. We are talking about children's lives here. "Kids have to take a chance crossing the road at both Camelsdale and Hammer. It's an accident waiting to happen. "We even asked for a lollipop lady as a temporary measure, but nothing was done. There have been a couple of accidents over the last couple of weeks, but no one ever seems to know anything about them - not even Sussex Police. "There is very little help and support. It's basically bureaucracy. The council is always full of ideas and plans have always got to go before boards, but in the end, another fatal accident takes place. "Traffic has increased at both Hammer and Camelsdale because they use Sandy Lane as a cut-through from the A3 at Hindhead, as they can get access to Lynchmere Road and Hammer Lane via Sandy Lane. It's a rat run." David Bleach, clerk to Lynchmere Parish Council, said: "We sent out 600 leaflets around the area informing people of Thursday's meeting. "We are well aware of the traffic problems and the meeting was set up by the council in response to residents' concerns." Lynchmere Parish Council chairman Sylvia McCallum will be running the meeting. In attendance will be representatives of West Sussex Police and West Sussex highways officials. Mr Pemberton also plans to attend. Anyone with information regarding the incident is asked to contact West Sussex Police on 0845 60 70 999.