AN MP has lobbied the county council in support of a campaign for a controlled pedestrian crossing outside an Andover school.

MP for North West Hampshire Kit Malthouse met pupils, parents, teachers and councillors at Roman Way Primary School recently to hear concerns about children’s safety due to the increase in traffic from Augusta Park.

As previously reported by the Advertiser, money was set a aside for a crossing by Hampshire County Council early in the Augusta Park development.

With traffic and pupil numbers increasing as the development expands, councillors, teachers, governors and residents say now is the time for the crossing to be installed.

The council however maintains the vehicle to pedestrian ratio outside the school, even in peak times, is not high enough to warrant a crossing.

Mr Malthouse said: “It was obvious from my visit that children, parents and teachers are very alarmed about the traffic outside the school. I saw for myself that the road is busy and, as a parent, I would certainly be nervous about my kids crossing unaccompanied.”

He continued: “I have written to the leader of the county council asking him to look again at putting in a controlled crossing, not least since the new developments planned in the area will make the situation worse. In the meantime, I hope that all drivers using the road will be careful when passing the school and give way to those trying to cross.”

Andover town councillor Barbara Carpenter, who has been instrumental in the campaign, said: “The meeting with Mr Malthouse went well; he talked to the children and they told him what they wanted, as did their parents. He saw firsthand how busy it gets with traffic outside the school.”

She added: “It seems the council are sitting on the money and the money is more important than children’s safety.”

At present, the county council has provided the school with one lollipop person and a second is in the pipeline.

County councillor for Andover North, Tim Rolt, has identified that under extenuating circumstances the council can overlook the vehicle pedestrian ratio to install a controlled crossing.

In light of reports of road rage and dangerous driving Cllr Rolt is looking at ways of recording those incidents.

He said: “West Sussex County Council’s lollipop persons have body cameras and I’m going to speak to them to see how they do it. I spoke to the police and they haven’t got the resources to supervise the situation so we need to look at other ways.”