FAREHAM council chiefs have refused to give permission for a pedestrian crossing on a Stubbing-ton road which they claim is safe.

They say there is no need to extend the crossing at Stubbington Green and the existing one might be removed because there is not enough traffic to justify it being there.

Members of Stubbington Women's Institute had petitioned for the safety measure in order to complete the pedestrian crossing that covers one side of the one-way road.

Councillors disagreed, claiming the request for the section of road that runs around the village did not fit the council criteria because there was relatively little traffic travelling along it and speeds were low.

The present crossing was installed when there was only one road running through the village carrying traffic travelling in both directions.

Since then a bypass has been built taking the traffic away from Stubbington.

The crossing covers one half of the road and the village war memorial acts as an island between it and the other side.

A council survey has deemed the road is safe and does not need another crossing on the other side.

At an executive meeting, council leader Sean Woodward said that by petitioning for it, residents may have "shot themselves in the foot" as there could now be an argument for removing the existing crossing.

Ward councillor Dorrine Burton-Jenkins, who presented the petition on behalf of the Stubbington WI, said: "We are supposed to be a listening council, but when people tell us what they want we don't do it."

Cllr Woodward said councillors should let residents know what can be done within the boundaries of council policy and not give them false hopes. "It is wrong to encourage the public to ask for things we know, in reality, they will not get," he added.