A STRETCH of the A35 Christchurch bypass which has claimed three lives in as many years is being studied as a potential "casualty hot spot" by Dorset County Council.

Cllr Hilary Cox, whose environmental services portfolio at county hall includes road traffic issues, told local member Cllr John Lofts that if the road was identified as a hot spot it would be given high priority in the local transport plan casualty reduction programme.

Her comments came in response to Cllr Lofts's questions at last week's county council meeting when he called for urgent action to provide lighting and a reduced speed limit on the road where Mudeford man Matthew Cook, 21, died in October when his car left the dual carriageway at night and crashed into trees.

In the wake of the fatal accident, Cllr Lofts raised the need for lighting and a possible 50mph limit at the crash scene on the east bound carriageway where the road swings right towards the Somerford roundabout.

He said it would be wrong to pre-empt the findings of the police accident investigation and subsequent inquest, but wanted to make sure that funding was available in the county budget to implement any recommendations.

And he suggested profits from the county's speed cameras could be used to provide any necessary road safety improvements.

Cllr Cox told him: "The collision record for all principal road links in the county is being investigated.

"A capital programme of works is being identified for those locations having a casualty rate above the national level."

He added: "In each case solutions are targeted towards clearly identified contributory factors.

"An important part of this work will be the investigation of individual collision details such as those relating to this accident."

"The Christchurch bypass is included in this casualty reduction programme of work. Should the section of the A35 referred to be identified as a casualty hot spot then it will be given a high priority."

First published: November 16