CAMPAIGNERS fighting to save Romsey's infant and junior schools have warned that closure would mean a huge rise in traffic congestion and air pollution.

The survey was carried out by the TOPS (Together One Primary School) group with help from Southampton University Environmental Scientist Doctor Malcolm Hudson in the Spring.

It came in the wake of revelations that Hampshire County Council was considering the possible closures of the two schools because of declining pupil numbers.

The infant school this week has 72 pupils compared with 144 ten years ago, while the junior school number has gone down marginally from 192 to 172 since 1994, although there was an upward surge in the late 1990s, to 225 in 1999.

Meanwhile, the survey on transport modes has revealed that more than half the children at the two schools walk to school and only one in ten travels by car all the time.

TOPS warned in a statement: "Closures would force most children to travel further to school each day, so many more would have to rely on parents' cars to get to school.

"That would put more pressure on congested road junctions on routes around the town, particularly on the junctions between Alma Roads (by the Bishop Blaize) and Winchester Hill.

"If the schools are closed, county education chiefs are likely to press for almost all the children to move to the Cupernham schools as there are no spare places at other local schools."

But the statement adds that "less than a third" of parents would make Cupernham their first-choice alternative, although it warns: "Moving most of the children to Cupernham would produce over 8,000 extra vehicle movements per year through the roundabouts at The Plaza and at the bottom of Botley Road.

"The parents would have to drive a combined total of over 16,000 extra miles a year getting to and from school, nearly doubling average fuel costs for families on the school run."

And on the question of pollution, the statement adds: "As well as congestion and extra costs, the increased traffic on Romsey roads will add to the pollution, generating over eight hot air balloons (14,500 kilograms) of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide each year.

"In addition to the global warming aspect, local people could face more health problems from the extra air pollution from the traffic, with asthma sufferers, children and the elderly likely to be worst hit."

Doctor Hudson said the closures would "fly in the face of all government and county council rules on transport and the environment".

He added: "This would be bad for everybody in Romsey, as well as damaging the health and education of young children by closing two of the best schools in the area. "We hope this will help the county council to accept the proposal for merging the schools into a new primary school. This will deal with the falling numbers, but be much better for our children."

A county council spokesperson said: "The document was passed to Hampshire County Council's education officers during the school visits on Tuesday and they will be studying the report carefully.

"Their responses to it will be included in their report to the education policy review committee on October 12th."

Organisers of the Together One School (TOPS) campaign manned an eye-catching stand at Romsey Show and were pleased by the number of people stopping to giving their support to save the schools.

Evelyn Lallo - a supporter for the campaign whose five-year-old son Alessandro is facing an uncertain future if his school closes - said: "It was good to see so many local people coming over to us to give their support, many commented on the council; lack of understanding and their focus on budgets as priority over our children's education.

"We intend to fight this proposed closure every step of the way to give our children the best possible education. We believe keeping Romsey Infant and Junior schools open as one primary school will achieve this."