ANOTHER campaign has been launched to protect the safety of the town's school children on a notoriously dangerous bend.

Romsey Youth Voices (RYV) are petitioning the council in a bid to get a puffin crossing installed on Duttons Road.

Every day during term time, hundreds of pupils cross the busy road on their way to Romsey Industrial Estate – which leads to Fishlake Meadows.

This new call comes more than a year after a crossing patrolwoman, employed by Hampshire County Council, retired midway through the summer term. The council decided not to replace her and there is now no patrol nor suitable crossing point on this busy stretch of road.

Nik Daas, founder of RYV, said: "The group has been told by both students and parents that this is still a very real problem and it is only going to get worse.

"The council has said it is an unsafe place to cross, and it can use (one of two avenues of funding) so it is really now about petitioning to get that funding put forward."

County councillor for Romsey Town, Mark Cooper, has also said he will continue to assist in getting a crossing.

"Keeping this matter in the public eye is crucial and I thank Youth Voices for their initiative," he added.

"Earlier this year I asked Hampshire County Council and the Environmental Portfolio holder, Rob Humby, to respond to a petition organised by parents of Romsey School pupils in support of a new crossing.

"He and the county have agreed that the ratio of pedestrians to vehicles at Duttons Road North justifies a crossing and that, although space is tight, it is feasible to construct one.

"But I'm told funding will have to come from developer contributions . I am thus depending on officers at Test Valley Borough Council and Hampshire County Council to put their heads together and find the funding quickly. This crossing is very urgently needed."

As reported back in March, angry parents also lobbied the council to install a crossing point on the road.

They also started a petition, which was delivered to the county council.

It demanded either the re-instatement of the crossing patrol or that a pelican (traditional) or puffin (sensor controlled) crossing is put in its place.

One of the parents, Claire Wise, whose son is a Year 7 pupil at Romsey School, said the road needs the crossing as there are no other suitable routes.

Along with the petition, Colm McKavanagh, headteacher at Romsey School, wrote to county council transport boss Rob Humby to ask for a review into the council’s decision to scrap the patrol.

However, at the time, the council responded to say its policy is not to provide one at secondary school sites.

Speaking about the RYV, Nik added: "We want to help young people directly in Romsey. These residents don't have a main voice, so that is what we are here to do."