IMPROVEMENTS are being made to crossing points on a busy Weymouth road – because children can’t see the traffic properly.

Dorset County Council says the work is being done to the crossing islands on the A354 Weymouth Way between Chafeys roundabout and the Westham crossroads following a safety audit.

It is not connected to the deaths of a pedestrian and motorcyclist last summer.

The council said the bollards on the islands were being modified and road signs installed on columns.

Work is being carried out this week with two-way signals controlling traffic meaning that delays are likely during the daytime.

The crossing points were installed on the road following a petition which was set up by residents in the wake of the death of five-year-old Lily-Mae Jeffries in March 2012.

A county council spokesman said a road safety audit was carried out after the crossing points were installed and it was found that people of a certain height – i.e. children – couldn’t see properly up and down the road due to the bollards being too tall, so work on it was recommended.

The project was suspended following the police investigation into the deaths of Janice Short and Max Fryman on July 26 last year.

The council spokesman said work to modify the bollards could now go ahead as the police investigation had been concluded and an inquest into the deaths had been held.

The bollards and crossing points were not found to be a contributing factor in the deaths, the spokesman said.

She said the bollards, which are lit at night, are being replaced with smaller ones which are reflective, instead of them being lit.

Additionally the ‘keep left’ arrow on the existing bollards will be placed higher on a pole and be illuminated.

‘Must reduce speed limit’

CLLR David Harris, who campaigned for safety crossings along the road, said he was pleased that the work is going ahead but would still like the speed limit on the stretch to be lowered.

“Anything that helps to make the road safer, I am in favour of. But I and the residents of Southill and Goldcroft are very keen still and are working hard to get the speed limit lowered to 40mph.

“A 50mph limit reduces a vehicle’s journey time by six seconds on that stretch from Chafeys – is six seconds really worth a life?

“If we want to save lives and we are really serious about saving lives, we must reduce the speed limit.”