CHRISTCHURCH councillors have rejected yet another scheme to improve road safety in Stanpit.

As a condition of allowing new homes to be built at the old council depot, the planning committee said the developers would have to make a £24,500 contribution to overcome visibility problems and ensure safe vehicular access into Stanpit, the road between Purewell and Mudeford.

That was agreed and now the homes are almost finished.

But councillors have been unable to agree a suitable road safety scheme.

First the council's highways design manager Bab Baker suggested installing raised speed tables or speed cushions as a means of ensuring drivers kept to a proposed 20mph limit.

But community services committee members threw that out.

Then in July councillors rejected the installation of speed humps and pinch points between the Queen's Road and Bub Lane junctions to ensure drivers comply with the proposed limit.

At this month's community services committee meeting Mr Baker told members the only other option left to them was a "stop" line with illuminated sign, even though current practice is for "give way" layouts to be installed.

But councillors, on a five to four vote, dumped that as well and told him to go back to the drawing board.

Cllr Chris Legg told the meeting the planning committee had suggested the Section 106 agreement with the developer as a health and safety measure and wondered where its members stood if nothing was done and there was an accident there.

Community services committee chairman Cllr John Lofts said the planning committee had put the cart before the horse by giving an opinion on traffic matters.

But the council's director of community services Nigel Davies disagreed and said highways were a planning issue.

After the scheme was turned down, the council's head of operations Peter Barker pointed out that all options had been explored and Mr Davies said he was becoming increasingly concerned about the potential legal repercussions.

First published: November 8