Petition for Improvements to Lowford Crossing

Thank you for your petition, regarding pedestrian safety on the junction of Portsmouth Road and School Road in Lowford.  As promised, our officers have investigated your request to install a raised table, improve signage and retain the two School Crossing Patrols (SCPs) at this junction.

Road safety enhancements at this location were implemented last autumn which included resurfacing the carriageway and refreshing all the road markings for the Zebra crossing. Additionally, the Zebra Belisha beacons were upgraded and changes made to the signage. We continue to monitor and review the safety measures implemented on Portsmouth Road, Lowford.

Hampshire County Council, in partnership with Eastleigh Borough Council, is developing a Transport Strategy for the Eastleigh borough area, which will be subject to public engagement next year. Please share your comments regarding this section of road as part of the consultation feedback form when it is launched. This Transport Strategy will identify priorities to bid for future funding opportunities and the public response will help to inform the prioritisation process, if the works you have suggested are identified as a priority, it will inform discussion for future public spend.

Earlier this year, the SCP officer who assisted children at the School Road junction with Portsmouth Road resigned, and this role was subsequently taken over by another officer who had previously operated at the nearby zebra crossing over Portsmouth Road. The County Council’s SCP policy states that when an existing patrol site becomes vacant, those located on, or in the vicinity of, a formal crossing (zebra, pelican etc) will not be replaced. However, we do allow schools or local communities to fund the provision of a crossing patrol at such sites should they choose to do so.

In the meantime, we will continue to recruit to the SCP site on Long Lane with the vacancy remaining live on our website www.hants.gov.uk/SCPjobs.

We would be grateful if you can promote the role and should you know anyone who may be interested in this role, please do let them know where they can find the details. Once we have a suitable applicant, we will of course get them on site as soon as we are able to.

I hope this provides a suitable response to your enquiry.

Yours sincerely

Councillor Kirsty North
Executive Lead Member for Universal Services