ANGRY Tufton and Whitchurch residents claim that they have gone “full circle”

in their quest for changes to the road layout on the A34 slip road.

Locals claim motorists drive the wrong way onto the A34 and into traffic leaving the A road due to a confusing layout.

The Hampshire Highways Agency has taken out a safety study at the junction including the use of collision statistics over the past ten years but has put any work as a low priority in the region.

Mike Stead who has fought for changes to be made to the intersection said there were fears that people could be killed if nothing was done “This intersection leads innocent motorists into making potentially lethal errors every day.”

“Instead of providing safe infrastructure, the Highways Agency is forcing locals to compensate. The risk is from visitors who don't know what to expect.

Mr Stead explained that all avenues have been exhausted.

He added: “We seem to have come full circle now. Nearly two years ago we started down a road where locals were complaining to the Highways Agency, to the local contractor, to the police and to their MP and councillors.

“Things were looked at, the Highways Agency wrote a report that acknowledged the issue of the road layout, but then went on to say that as this had no influence on collisions that happened 500 yards away due to different issues of speed and cornering, there was no problem.”

A Highways Agency spokesperson said: “Safety is a top priority for the Highways Agency and we regularly review the safety of our roads, which are amongst the safest in the world.

“We also use data provided by the police to understand why accidents happen.

“The four collisions which have occurred at the A34 junction with Nun’s Walk and Winchester Road over the past ten years have been on the northbound exit slip road, and the road layout has not been deemed a contributory factor.

“We will however continue to monitor safety at this location, and across our network.”