A COUNCILLOR is calling for a permanent 20mph speed limit to be introduced outside all schools in Winklebury and across Basingstoke.

Cllr Sean Dillow (Conservative, Winklebury and Manydown) has launched a campaign to appeal for the speed limits on the roads to be reviewed.

The news comes after a 23-year-old man from Basingstoke died after a two-vehicle crash on Roman Road earlier this month.

READ MORE: Basingstoke man, 23, dies in hospital following Roman Road collision

The 23-year-old man was taken to hospital following the crash on Roman Road at the junction with Roman Way on Saturday, January 8.

Cllr Dillow said: “It is an ongoing thing in Winklebury about the roads and how busy they are. I was quite shocked to hear about the recent accident on Roman Road and I just thought we can’t just stand by and let something like this just not be addressed.

“I think Hampshire County Council should look into this and they should start stepping up and reviewing the speed limits in Winklebury and across the whole town as well.”

He is calling for the long-term speed limit to be put in place particularly outside schools and has been putting up temporary speed awareness signs along Winklebury Way over the past few months, in a desperate attempt to persuade drivers to slow down.

He added: “I have been applying to Basingstoke and Deane Council to get sets of temporary speed awareness signs and since I have become a councillor I have been requesting these to be put up in Winklebury."

In July 2021 a 10-year-old was taken to Basingstoke hospital after an incident outside Castle Hill Primary School on Winklebury Way.

As previously reported by The Gazette the lollipop person position outside Castle Hill Primary School was reviewed and removed after Belinda Mott, the holder of the role for nearly 20 years, passed away last October.

Cllr Dillow put a temporary speed sign up outside the school and has also placed one near the Winklebury Centre.

He added: “I just think with the onset of the Manydown development there will be construction traffic, which needs to be looked at closely.

“Also, with the start of the Winklebury regeneration, there will be an increase in traffic so we just have to be very conscious that construction traffic will be big heavy goods vehicles so that’s not going to help the situation of roads safety.

“Statically if an accident happens you are more likely to survive at 20mph than at 30, so it is a no-brainer to me."

SEE MORE: Calls for action after child and adult hit by car outside Castle Hill School

Vivid is preparing to submit a planning application to Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council, which will see various areas of Winklebury transformed to deliver 206 new homes, a pre-school, and a health centre.

Cllr Dillow said he “wants to take action now” and is already pressing for heavy construction traffic to be restricted to off-peak times when the Manydown development begins, to “mitigate any hold-ups and obstructions”.

As well as this he said he will be looking for reassurance from Vivid Homes that the construction traffic for the Winklebury Regeneration Project will be timed outside of peak hours, and especially not during the school runs.

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