Watery Lane, Upper Clatford: Residents calling for lower speed limit

Police were called at 7.49pm on December 16 to reports of single-vehicle collision on Watery Lane involving a black Vauxhall Astra. No one was injured.  

This is not the first incident that has occurred on the road. On August 14, 2019, a car flipped onto its roof and crashed into a bush. 

Following the first incident, both Upper Clatford Parish Council and residents in the area have been urging Hampshire Highways to lower the speed limit to 30mph. It is currently 60mph. 

Now, they have renewed their call to prevent further accidents from occurring, with many posting on the Upper Clatford Village Facebook page.

Parish council chairman Peter Heslop said: "I'm aware of increasing concerns for the safety of road users on Watery Lane. It's a narrow lane with blind corners and no footway, and with increasing use by vehicles and pedestrians, near-misses are a daily occurrence. The most recent collision demolished a bridge parapet which was only rebuilt less than three years ago following a similar accident."

He said that the current national speed limit is not appropriate for the narrow lane, and the parish council will continue to try to persuade Hampshire Highways to improve road safety on the road.

The car which flipped in Watery Lane in 2019

Cllr Heslop added: "Unfortunately priorities seem to be set depending on the number of fatalities or serious injuries, and I hope we don't have to wait for that to happen before some action is taken."

Test Valley Borough councillor David Drew has backed the campaign to lower the speed limit.

He said: "I also agree that lowering the speeds along this road would be a good thing to do. I personally find that actually driving slower than 30mph here seems a reasonable balance between safety and making fair progress."

Cllr Drew contacted Hampshire Highways before Christmas and in response to residents' concerns, it said: "The position regarding a 30mph speed limit to extend between Upper Clatford and Barlows Lane, Andover, remains unchanged I’m afraid. This is because the existing 30mph speed limits have been set appropriately to reflect the residential areas."

It explained that speed limits have been set at points so drivers know they are entering a residential development area and should expect to encounter related traffic activity, such as increased pedestrian numbers. 

By setting a 30mph speed limit over the entire route in these circumstances, Hampshire Highways added that this would reduce the distinction between these areas of differing characteristics to a driver and would reduce the influence that the speed limit offers drivers. 

A spokesperson for Hampshire County Council explained that arrangements have been made for the damaged railings on the road to be repaired.

They added: "There is no evidence to suggest, however, that an extension of the residential 30 mph limit would reduce the likelihood of a similar incident happening. Highway officers remain in contact with the local County Councillor and Parish Council to explore whether there are any other potential interventions that could help but implementation would be subject to the availability of future funding.”