Pedestrians slam lack of crossing at Basing View

A major road in Basing View was shut last month along with a subway, whilst the work to build a landmark multi-million pound John Lewis at home and Waitrose store began in earnest.

Various measures were put in place to benefit motorists travelling to and from the area – but one worker feels that pedestrians have been completely neglected.

Andrew Brown, who works for Unum, fears someone will be injured or killed if a pedestrian crossing is not installed soon.

The 34-year-old contacted Hampshire County Council (HCC) and Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council to ask why a pedestrian crossing was not put in place before the work started.

He said: “Are they waiting for the first accident to happen? It seems that much provision has been made for motorists, but those of us who walk to work have not been considered at all.”

Simon Hope, from Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council, responded to Mr Brown to say that HCC’s highways team had been reviewing traffic levels, and had asked for a temporary signalised pedestrian crossing to be installed on lower Basing View, with the hope that it would be in place by November 27.

But Mr Brown, from Basingstoke, said that there is still no crossing.

He added: “I am appalled that this has still not been rectified. Surely, with the millions of pounds invested in the project, the safety of pedestrians would be one of the first things on the agenda?”

When Mr Brown chased the council to find out when the crossing would be installed, he was told that a meeting was due to take place on Wednesday to agree a location.

In the meantime, the contractors have been asked to use manned stop and go boards at peak times on lower Basing View.

But Mr Brown questioned what the contractors refer to as ‘peak times’. He added: “I saw them at 1pm on Monday and by the time I had come back at 1.45pm, they were gone.”

No-one from HCC had responded to The Gazette by the time we went to press.