A COUNCILLOR has spoken out after allegedly asking for support from Hampshire County Council only for them to ‘waste his time’.

Romsey Town Cllr Mark Cooper say’s he's been fighting for a new crossing on Cupernham Lane after concerns from residents but he has received 'excuses' from HCC.

This comes following an increase in housing developments in the area.

He said: "I’ve had detailed email discussions with a number of Romsey residents about the need to make crossing Cupernham Lane safer and more pedestrian friendly especially in view of the vastly increased traffic movement on the lane generated by all the new development to the north of Romsey."

"When these complaints are referred to the appropriate officers in Hampshire County Council, the county officers wasted their time and mine trying to find excuses not to do anything."

"The latest HCC ruse for not doing anything in Cupernham Lane is to state that as the site near Romsey Primary School justifies a school crossing patrol officer, it obviates the need to become a puffin crossing but the SCP post has been vacant for at least two years. Officers respond by saying an absent SCP doesn’t justify installing a puffin crossing, which is all rather Catch-22."

Puffin crossings have pedestrian-controlled traffic lights which remain on green when there are no pedestrian flows. The most recent one to be installed in Romsey is at the north end of Duttons Road which benefits pupils at Romsey Community School.

Cllr Cooper continued: "I’ve asked for Pedestrian/Vehicle ratio analyses at both the Woodley Lane and the Richmond Lane junctions in order to upgrade the current crossing options to puffin crossings as was achieved at Duttons Road a short time ago.

"Hampshire County Council responds that as the pedestrian flows are intermittent then the Pedestrian/Vehicle ratios say a puffin crossing is not justified, yet by their very nature, pedestrian flows, especially of school pupils, are intermittent. Duttons Road got its puffin crossing, so why not Cupernham Lane."

"The best way forward is to use the process used at Dutton’s Road. Get backing from schools and parents, get the support of the Borough, then an agreement with Test Valley Borough Council and HCC to use CIL money (Community Infrastructure Levy) and only then involve the county in the design and commissioning.

"We’ve recently committed £300,000 CIL funding to the Southampton Road Cycleway and £200,000 CIL funding for the RAODs theatre. Both are valued and necessary grants but benefit relatively few people."

"£500K is sufficient to design and build four or five puffin crossings and keep many hundreds of children, on a daily basis, safe crossing roads.

"I can't think of anything more important than keeping our children safe on their journey to school."

Councillor Russell Oppenheimer, executive member for Highway Operations for Hampshire County Council said: "There has been a school crossing patrol officer vacancy for Cupernham Lane since 2019. The vacancy continues to be advertised. The local school has been approached to see if they can help advertise the vacancy.

"School Crossing Patrols are the most appropriate form of pedestrian facility for schools as they provide specific assistance to parents and children at the start and finish of the school day. Formal pedestrian crossing facilities such as puffin and zebra crossings, are typically provided where there are high volumes of pedestrians and vehicles throughout the day - for example, in shopping areas and town centres. The majority of pedestrian crossing movements at Cupernham Lane are confined to the school arrival and departure times, with very few pedestrian crossing movements observed outside of these times.  Therefore, it is considered that a school crossing patrol is still the most appropriate way to assist pedestrian crossing movements across Cupernham Lane at this location.

"There are informal crossing points immediately to the north of Woodley Lane junction, which include tactile paving, dropped kerbs and reflective bollards to mark the crossing point. The road is also narrowed slightly at this location to encourage slower speeds and to reduce the distance that pedestrians are required to cross. There is also an informal crossing to the north of Richmond Lane, but this only includes tactile paving and dropped kerbs.  Although controlled crossings would not be justified, we are looking into whether further measures could be implemented to improve both the informal crossing points."

For those interested in the job vacancy for school crossing patrol, visit newjob.org and use reference HCC11307.