Portsmouth Road crossing improvements not enough say councillors

Planning bosses in Eastleigh are asking for more safety improvements at the notorious Portsmouth Road zebra crossing in Lowford.

The road has been the site of several accidents and near misses in recent months - including a lollipop lady almost being hit by a car, a bus skimming a baby in a pram and Jackie Carrington breaking her wrist when she was struck by a van.

READ MORE: Southampton driver banned after Portsmouth Road hit-and-run

Jackie Carrington at the Portsmouth Road crossing in Lowford. (Image: NQ)

Eastleigh Borough Councillor Steve Holes, backed by fellow planning committee member Jane O'Sullivan, say Hampshire County Council resurfacing the crossing and repainting markings is not enough.

They are calling on the authority to make more substantial changes to improve safety - and discuss the issues with borough councillors.

Cllr Holes said: "[It] is still a very dangerous crossing for all those using it, despite Hampshire County Council recently making some changes to it.

"In addition, the protection for local school children has reduced, and risk to pedestrians increased, with the loss of one of the school crossing patrol officers in recent months."

Reacting to news that the crossing could finally be made safe, Jackie - who has tirelessly campaigned for improvements since the serious crash on December 15, 2022 - said: "This is amazing news, it lifts your spirits because there was never really any closure about it.

"I was always of the mindset that until there was a fatality they would not do anything.

"You never expect that it is going to move forward because it has been so long."

Jackie Carrington being hit by a van on Portsmouth Road, Lowford (Image: Daily Echo)

The admin worker and carer now wants to see a full pelican crossing put in as in her own words 'it is harder to go through a red light'.

The driver of the Ford Transit van, 24-year-old Mitchell Thorne, of Bitterne Road West, has since been banned for two years for the hit-and-run.

In the aftermath there were two further incidents: one on Friday, January 13, 2023, when a car clipped a lollipop lady's stick as she tried to help children cross the road, and on Wednesday, February 1, when a buggy carrying a seven-month-old girl was almost hit by a First bus.

Regarding the county council's improvements, Jackie added: "I was thinking they were going to do more, so when they just painted it I thought that was a bit of a slap in the face.

"I do get it is costly but really I don’t think they should be thinking about how much money they can save - it should be about saving lives.

"If it wasn’t for the Echo tirelessly reporting on this it would have just fallen on deaf ears.

"Hopefully nobody else will have to go through this."

Cllr Holes is presenting a motion detailing his call for improvements to the Bursledon, Hamble-le-Rice and Hound Local Area Committee on Thursday.

A spokesperson for the county council said the authority "continues to monitor and review safety measures" on the road. 

They added: "We have made several enhancements at this location, including resurfacing the carriageway and refreshing all the road markings for the zebra crossing.

"Additionally, we have upgraded the zebra Belisha beacons and made changes to the signage.”

A Belisha beacon is a yellow-coloured globe lamp atop a tall black and white striped pole by pedestrian crossings.