HAMPSHIRE highways chiefs are being urged to help ease Chandler's Ford's traffic nightmare.

Last night, a local councillor said lives could be lost if action was not taken soon.

Councillor Ernest Pullen, who represents Chandler's Ford East, said pupils crossing roads in his area had to run a daily gauntlet of heavy traffic.

There are fears that the situation will worsen in the Oakmount Road and Bodycoats Road area as more children are drawn into Toynbee School from the homes being built on the Pirelli site.

Cllr Pullen had hoped that cash for road safety measures could come from the rent Eastleigh council was receiving for leasing its car park off Oakmount Road to the new Waitrose supermarket.

But his plea to plough this annual £75,000 windfall into improving the traffic situation hit a road block at the council executive.

Council leader Keith House pointed out that they needed to raise the Chandler's Ford road safety issues with the county council, which was the highway authority. They also needed to seek funding through the local transport policy.

Urging action now, Cllr Pullen said: "We have got to do something. We owe it to our residents."

He had called for road safety to be stepped up in the Winchester Road, Bodycoats Road and Oakmount Road areas.

The executive agreed to press the county council to come up with further traffic safety measures in Chandler's Ford. Meanwhile, local schools are being urged to develop school travel plans.