ANGRY road campaigners believe Hampshire and Surrey highways officers could soon find themselves 'in the dock' for failing to address serious safety issues along a stretch of the A31 at Bentley. The call for action came as the second serious accident in just nine days closed the road, causing chaos, disruption and misery for drivers and residents. Campaigners are asking Hampshire and Surrey Councils how many more serious and fatal accidents it will take on this dangerous stretch of road before they install essential traffic-calming measures. The final straw came on Monday, at around 8am, two vans collided head on just before the start of the Bentley bypass, on the opposite side of the road to The Bull Inn and Chamber Lane, not a stone's throw from the Northbrook estate. According to police a white Astra van, travelling along the Farnham-bound carriageway, left the carriageway and collided head on with a silver van travelling west. The 22-year-old male driver of the white van sustained serious injuries in the collision. He had to be cut from his vehicle by Surrey firefighters and was taken by ambulance to Frimley Park Hospital. His condition is reported to be not potentially life- threatening, however he has sustained two broken legs and a serious head injury. When The Herald went to press the driver's condition was described as 'critical but stable'. The driver of the second vehicle was also taken to hospital with minor injuries. It has been reported that a third vehicle was also involved in the accident, which collided with one of the vans, but police say the driver did not sustain any serious injuries. The engine of one of the vehicles was ripped out by the force of the impact and ended up in the middle of the carriageway. An air ambulance was sent to the scene, but was not needed. Surrey Police are now appealing for witnesses. It was the second accident along this stretch of road within the last fortnight. Nine days earlier on Saturday, October 20, at around 5pm a driver of a Citroen Saxo lost control of the vehicle, just before the Bentley slip road close to The Bull Inn. The car tipped over and landed on its roof. The driver of the car was treated by paramedics from both road and air ambulance crews before being taken by road to the Royal Surrey in Guildford. Police say that the driver did not suffer any serious injuries and are not appealing for witnesses. However, the traffic was stopped along the A31 for at least 45 minutes while emergency services attended the scene. Commenting on the recent spate of accidents Nick Roach, chairman of the Northbrook Residents' Association, said: "We have been campaigning for some time now for a speed reduction system here similar to the one outside The Hen and Chicken. We spoke to the Hampshire Action Team two weeks ago and presented them with a petition and a independent report showing the number of accidents which have happened along this stretch of road in the last five years, some of which do not seem to have been recorded. "The problem is that this stretch of road passes through Hampshire and Surrey and neither county council seems to want to talk to each other. They hold their own records for those accidents which happen on their part of the road, but not for the other. That information does not seem to be shared between councils and neither will accept accidents that happen only a few feet outside of their county as evidence that the road is dangerous. "This is an incredibly dangerous road where drivers frequently travel at over 100 miles an hour or more and at those speeds it doesn't take much for them to lose control. When we heard the bang on Monday we rushed out to see if we could help. We heard a woman screaming and there were others who were obviously in distress. "We have had so many serious and fatal accidents along this road and it is time both councils woke up to their responsibilities. We believe they are now on notice and that if there are any more serious accidents or fatalities they could be open to being sued. Both councils have known for a long time about this part of the A31, but have done nothing about it. They don't seem to care. They will have to take notice now. "What we need is a speed reduction system. We do not need any more signs or mobile speed cameras, which don't make any difference along here." Following Monday's accident James Arbuthnot, MP for North East Hampshire, has called together colleagues SW Surrey MP Jeremy Hunt, and Damian Hinds, Parliamentary Candidate for East Hampshire, to meet with residents campaigning for the speed reduction scheme along this stretch of the A31. Mr Arbuthnot said: "Last Friday, I met Nick Roach, chairman of the Northbrook Residents' Association to hear of local people's growing concerns for the safety record along the A31. He told me that along with the parish council they have already commissioned an independent report which found that excessive speed was to blame for the terrible accident record along this stretch of road. "And then on Monday at 8am Nick rang me to say that there had been another dreadful smash at the entrance to his property. Fortunately, no one was killed. But this can't go on. We need urgent joint- action between the county councils and the police forces before any more lives are lost. "It doesn't matter to motorists on the A31 whether they're in Surrey, Hampshire, or Timbuktu. We need a consistent solution along this dangerous stretch of road. Jeremy, Damian and I shall be sitting down with Nick Roach and the Northbrook Residents' Association as soon as possible." Farnham MP Jeremy Hunt said: "The stretch of road near The Bull Inn is fast becoming an accident blackspot and we need to act fast before there are any more tragedies on that part of the A31. "I fully support the local campaign calling for speed reductions and will work with James Arbuthnot, Surrey and Hampshire County Councils and the campaign group to find a way to stop lives being lost." Anyone with any information about the accident should contact Surrey Police on 0845 125 2222 or Call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
