Hampshire County Council introduce speed limit outside Sainsbury's

Hampshire County Council has decided to impose a 30mph speed limit on a 16-metre stretch of the southern section of Griffin Way North in Hook, near Basingstoke near the entrance to a new Sainsburys.

This will reduce the existing 40 miles per hour speed limit accordingly by 16 metres.

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The council said there was a need for a reduction as the new Sainsbury’s entrance meant speed terminal signs had to be moved as their old position was in the middle of the new entrance.

Griffin Way North (Image: Google Maps)

Therefore, it is proposed that the speed limit order be amended to allow the re-siting of the signs further north and to keep the current 30 mph limit enforceable.

A total of 87 residents have objected to the proposed speed limit, stating that it does not fit for purpose.

They believe that the lower speed limit should be extended further to cover newly constructed residential road accesses and pedestrian crossing points, including the road crossing traffic island.

Resident Laura-Jane Walker said: “This proposed 16m extension is woefully inadequate. The 30mph section needs to be significantly bigger to cover all the new housing developments along Griffin Way North.

“Why Hampshire seems to care so little about the safety of its residents is a mystery – the whole village is a rat run with zero safety measures (speed bumps, working speed cameras, 20mph zones around the school, yet vehicles speeding through well over 30mph is standard practice) and now we have to beg you to not keep making village children as young as four years old cross the road in a 40mph section to get to school.

“Why are motorists being prioritised over the safety of pedestrians? It’s a residential area; there is no justification at all for this section to remain 40mph so close to the village centre.”

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Another resident, Dave Howe, said: “This proposal hasn’t been correctly measured, nor has road safety and pedestrian safety been taken into account. Please revert and have someone actually view the area in person.”

Gill Rodwell called the extension “ludicrous”, adding: “The extension does not even reach the crossing point on Griffin Way North, used by residents of the Green Hart Park, Barratt Homes and David Wilson housing developments. Residents use this crossing point to access nursery/infant and junior schools as well as play parks and village shops.”

To respond to local representations, Hampshire County Council will review the 40mph and 50mph limits on Griffin Way North to assess whether further speed limit reductions are appropriate.