THE brakes look set to be slammed on motorists who drive at excessive speeds through Bursledon's country lanes.

Civic chiefs want to impose 30mph restrictions on all roads in the village where it is currently legal to do up to 60mph.

It is a move that will be welcomed by locals, according to Bursledon Parish Council chairman Diana Sneezum.

She claims that villagers complain the speeding traffic makes it dangerous for them to use the lanes on foot.

She said: "I know a lot of people would be very grateful if that was introduced. We have been on about it for years.

"We do see people going very fast - some are going so fast that they have careered into people's walls.

"It can also be very frightening

for mothers pushing a pram or people walking with a little dog on a lead."

A report to Eastleigh Council's Bursledon, Hamble and Hound Local Area Committee on Thursday says, although most of the roads in the village are subject to a 60mph speed limit, there are very few locations where it is possible to reach that speed.

But the report from Eastleigh's engineering chief Duncan McVey says the main impetus for a review was a concern over pedestrians walking to and from the schools in Long Lane.

While traffic calming had been introduced in part of Long Lane, children and parents walked through other roads in the village that were still subject to

60mph speed limits in order to get to school.

The report also highlights how few roads in the village have footpaths next to the roads and, due to numerous sharp corners, it was not always possible for drivers to have clear visibility of pedestrians.

Only five accidents that have resulted in injury have been recorded in the village over three years up to March, 2004.

Now borough councillors are being recommended to cut the speed limit to 30mph in Long Lane, Hill Place, Church Lane, High Street, Lands End Road, Salterns Lane, Kew Lane, School Road and Hungerford.