THERE are renewed calls to downgrade the A36 through Wellow and neighbouring villages.

Hampshire’s county member for the village, Roy Perry, has asked highway bosses for the main Salisbury to Southampton road to be de-trunked.

Mr Perry said: “The A36 is Wellow’s village High Street, yet, neither the village, nor Hampshire County Council has any say over its management.”

He said that Wellow parish councillors and concerned residents had put pressure on him to get something done about the state of road which has been the scene of several fatal accidents.

Mr Perry added: “The potholes on what is meant to be a major truck road are now disgraceful. It is no fun for people living alongside the road to have 30 and 40 ton lorries rattling over the potholes day and night.”

“If the Highways Agency cannot look after the road properly, they should pass it to local control (HCC),” concluded an angry Mr Perry.

In response to Mr Perry’s plea to downgrade the A36, a Highways Agency spokesman said: “There are no current plans to de-trunk the A36. We constantly monitor roads for problems and when they are spotted they are put on our maintenance programme.”