FEARS have been voiced over the safety of children and other residents as a result of a sharp increase in the number of cars “rat-running” through Old Basing because of delays caused by construction work at a Basingstoke roundabout.

Black Dam Roundabout is currently undergoing a £10million improvement by the Highways Agency which will see four lanes of northbound traffic directed through the centre of the roundabout and an additional two-arm lane to allow motorists travelling on the A30 to join the centre of the new roundabout.

In addition, the project is set to see the realignment and widening of all approaches, the installation of safety barriers, new traffic signs, signals and street lights.

But as well as causing traffic delays for motorists using the roundabout each day, villagers in Old Basing have seen a massive increase in the number of cars cutting through the village to get to Basingstoke town centre.

A traffic survey taken by Hampshire County Council and the Highways Agency over a five-day period has shown that the average number of cars going through the village during peak times has increased significantly.

In Basing Road, the number of cars recorded during the works in the morning peak period rose by 82 per cent and by 46 per cent in the evening peak period.

The number of cars travelling through The Street also increased by 22 per cent rise in the morning and 47 per cent in the evening peak period.

Councillor Elaine Still, Hampshire county councillor for Loddon, met with the parish council and representatives from the county council’s highways team last Thursday to raise the concerns of local residents.

At the meeting, it was agreed that temporary road signs should be placed at the busiest roads through the village, warning motorists that it is a congested area and urging them to slow down.

Cllr Still told The Gazette: “People are avoiding Black Dam Roundabout, and to be able to achieve that, it means cutting through the A30, on Hatch Lane and under the bridge (Swing Swang Lane), and going into town. We are hoping to put temporary signage up, but we are just thinking about the wording at the moment.

“You can’t stop people coming through, but they need to understand they are coming through a village and they need to slow down. There are narrow roads and people need to drive carefully.”

Basingstoke MP Maria Miller added: “More cars are causing congestion, but I know many residents are even more concerned about the aggressive behaviour of some drivers using residential lanes to avoid traffic jams.

“At peak times in the morning, children and parents are walking to school. It is important that the additional cars, vans and lorries do not compromise pedestrian safety.”

Councillor Seán Woodward, executive member for economy, transport and environment at Hampshire County Council, said: “While this scheme is one that the Highways Agency is delivering, I would like to say that it represents significant investment in the area, will improve transport links around Basingstoke for people who live and work there, and will therefore have a positive impact on the local economy.

“Officers from the county council recently attended a meeting with the Highways Agency, the borough council, the local county councillor and the parish council to discuss the traffic in Old Basing, and I understand that the Highways Agency will be deploying signs on the A30 to discourage through traffic there.”

The Gazette asked Hampshire County Council to confirm when the traffic survey was conducted but they failed to respond before the paper went to press.

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