NEW safety measures are to be put into place at a road junction where a Test Valley Borough Councillor was killed in a car crash.

Hampshire County Highways department are to undertake a casualty reduction scheme at the junction of Gardeners Lane and the A3090 at Ridge, near Ower.

The junction is the site where Margot Townsend, Conservative Test Valley Borough Councillor and Church of England synod member for the Winchester Diocese, was killed in a car accident last September.

The scheme will consist of road lining and non-skid surfacing, which will help draw drivers' attention to the various hazards at junction.

County Councillor Roy Perry commented: "I welcome this proposed action by the County Highways team. This is a difficult junction with fast traffic on the A3090 and which has not been made easier by the heavy traffic accessing the gravel extraction site on the other side of the A3090. Fortunately those movements should be coming to an end now following the recent rejection of the appeal to continue mineral work there.

"The loss of such an outstanding public servant as Margot Townsend is one we still keenly feel and it was right for the Highways Department to examine if anything could be done to help at this junction. I sincerely hope we never again experience such a tragedy at this site."