PETERSFIELD residents were given the chance to air their views on proposals to improve the town centre as part of a transport strategy.

Area surveyor Bob Dorritt and a team from Hampshire County Council gave a presentation to East Hampshire District Council at the central area community committee on Tuesday.

Local traders, members of the cyclists' forum and councillors joined residents, school governors and other representatives of local organisations to discuss the Petersfield Area Transport Strategy.

The proposed scheme includes work at St Peter's Road and the High Street as well as improvements to the Square and the area outside St Peter's Church.

People also heard how a 20mph speed limit could be installed on roads throughout the town centre.

But Mr Dorritt told people at the meeting that the changes should be seen as "evolution and not revolution".

Some residents raised concerns over the safety of children in St Peter's Road getting to and leaving Petersfield Infant School.

Christopher Grey described how his daughter was involved in a minor accident when she was hit by the bumper of a car reversing.

He said: "There are about 700 people trying to get to that school in the mornings and many of them by car. They park on both sides of the road. Add to this people trying to get to Somerfeld and the Square.

"It would be nice if everyone walked to school but the modern reality is that a lot of people drive."

Mr Dorritt said that the issue of St Peter's Road had been looked at carefully and said the surveyors suggested that the road should remain two-way.

He said: "As long as people have the expectation of meeting a car coming the other way at St Peter's Road they will drive carefully and cautiously."

Traffic management officer PC Eric Martin told concerned parents and governors that the school has the same problems that nearly every other school in the county has.

He said: "Petersfield Infant School is no different from any other school. The problems are almost insoluble.

"However, we are looking at different schools at different times and at some point we will be focusing on St Peter's Road."

Mr Dorritt said he was very keen to look at road safety at schools and said the incident involving Mr Grey's daughter as a "salutary lesson".

Petersfield Town Council, East Hampshire District Council and Hampshire County Council began work on the details of the scheme in 1998. The project went to public consultation later that year.

The Petersfield Area Transport Strategy document contains 15 separate proposals for work in the area. At Tuesday night's meeting proposal 13 was discussed.

Chris Williams, principal planner at Hampshire County Council, outlined plans for the Square.

These include widening the footways on the north and west sides, improving crossovers and providing more cycle and motor cycle parking.

There was support for a proposal to retain parking in the Square and the High Street and keep the one-way traffic circulation around the Square.

Traffic-calming measures suggested in the plans included pinchpoints in the town centre which would act as courtesy crossings.

But Petersfield town councillor Dr Phillip Humphries said the crossing would confuse drivers and pedestrians over who had the right of way.

Local resident Alastair Ray said a pinchpoint outside his house acted as a challenge to drivers to see who could get through it first.

But PC Martin backed the idea and said that when drivers do not know who has right of way they take more care.

Residents will have a chance to find out more about the proposals at an exhibition of the Petersfield Area Transport Strategy at the Physic Gardens meeting room in the High Street today (Friday) and tomorrow.

The presentation will then be moved to the Festival Hall until July 2. Findings will be reported to the Central Hampshire Road Transport Survey panel. It is hoped that work on the scheme will begin in summer 2002.