Spring Road: Southampton residents say speed must be slashed

Around 600 people have signed a petition urging the council to go further in its safety measures planned for Spring Road.

It comes after the road was closed last week when a crash saw a parked grey Audi hit by a white BMW.

Crash on Spring Road, Southampton (Image: UGC)The city council has said it plans to carry out works for Spring Road in the vicinity of the junctions with Station Road and Cranbury Road as part its Transforming Cities Fund Eastern Quietway scheme.

But a Southampton student nurse, who has had three cars written off in two years has started, the petition calling for more action.

Amy Watson, 21, said the works at the junctions with Cranbury Road and Station Road won’t help to reduce accidents, as most happen on the long stretch of road before that.

It’s been an absolute nightmare.

Speaking to the Echo, the Solent University student said: “Each accident has happened within the same stretch of road.

“I am having to park my car on other parts of the road because I don’t trust that they won’t be smashed into.

“It’s been an absolute nightmare.”

As reported in the Echo, much-loved motorcyclist  Nick Brisland, 19, died in April 2015 when he was hit by a car pulling off from where it was parked on the pavement.

She said: “Eight years ago someone got killed outside my house when he was hit off a motorbike.

“It’s a long stretch of road so people just put their foot down.”

Eastern Quietway scheme. Image: Southampton City Council (Image: Southampton City Council)

She said the council plans are "nowhere near" enough. She added: "It is so far away so it doesn’t have any effect on us. It won’t do anything.

“This is about stopping people from dying in the future.”

Others are backing Amy's position in the petition.

One petition signatory, Lucy Miller, said: “The number of accidents that have happened is unsafe. There needs to be a speed limit change or speed calming elements.”

Another, Julie Gentry, said: “I live in the area and there are other roads regularly used as if drivers are on the straight in race.

“It’s surprising nobody has been killed or severely injured considering there are schools and a college in the vicinity!”

Measures proposed by the council as part of the Eastern Quietway scheme include new pedestrian crossing and traffic calming measures.

A spokesperson previously told the Echo: “It would not be appropriate to comment on any particular accident or attempt to draw any wider conclusions."