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Mum's road safety war

Week41-Petition-9736Residents are demanding safety measures along a Basingstoke road where three children have been knocked down in as many years.

Mums Michaela Baker and Louise Hoyland have launched a petition in a bid to force Hampshire County Council to improve Carpenter's Down in Popley.

In the latest incident, on Monday October 4, an 11-year-old girl  was taken to Basingstoke and North Hants Hospital with severe concussion after being run over on the road.

Ms Baker, who was one of the first on the scene, said the incident had been the last straw and that same afternoon the two women drew up the petition.

She said: “The situation is not good enough – children are going into the middle of the road and standing there waiting for a gap in the traffic.

“We need something to make the road safer and we are not going to sit back any more. We can't let any more children get run over.”

The petition has over 300 signatures, including those of teachers at Everest Community College on Carpenter's Way.

On September 9, Hampshire County Council gave the green light for a project to install dropped kerb crossing points along the road in a bid to make it safer.

However, the campaigners are calling for further action.

Ms Baker said: “Something should have been done years ago when the first accident happened. The new plans are not enough. If councillors attempted to cross the roads with their children, by the end of the week they would have put in a proper crossing.”

The first accident happened in December 2007, when 11-year-old Daniel Hortin received serious head injuries in a collision with a lorry.

The two mums are calling for measures such as a zebra crossing, traffic lights or a lollipop lady.

Ms Baker added: “It is important to control kids crossing. It's nothing to do with the speed of traffic, as in all of the incidents the drivers have not been at fault – it's just a dangerous bit of road.”

The petition is being backed by Cllr Jane Frankum, who represents Popley West on the borough council and Basingstoke North on Hampshire County Council.

She said she plans to submit the petition at the next full meeting of the county council.