EASTLEIGH councillors last night cleared the way to cut the speed limit on one of the south's accident blackspots.

A section of the A27 between Kanes Hill, Hedge End, and Bursledon's Windhover roundabout currently has an accident rate above the national average.

Last night, members of the borough council's Hedge End, West End and Botley local area committee heard residents outline a catalogue of crashes amid pleas for the speed limit to be cut from 60mph to 40mph.

Kanes Hill resident Mr Ian Adams told councillors: "I have been there 18 months now and I have seen five accidents - the scariest one was in the summer when the whole road had to be closed when a near-fatality occurred.

"A neighbour has lived there for 40 years and has informed me that a number of people have had their front gardens rearranged due to accidents, the cause of which is generally speed."

Mr Adams added that with no speed restriction, part of the road was an "overtaking dream" for motorists while the whole length of the A27 stretch under discussion posed dangers for pedestrians. "The speeds that cars hurtle down the road and the overtaking is getting particularly dangerous," he added.

Mr Raymond Hogg told councillors: "I have lived in Kanes Hill since 1958 and I have seen so many accidents, deaths, injuries and all sorts of things. One of a few incidents I can remember is a coach full of old age pensioners who had the side ripped out of their bus. We had 50 pensioners inside our house for tea and biscuits. There was also a nasty accident at the bottom of the hill not long ago."

He also claimed "boy racers" on high-powered motorcycles used the stretch of road as part of a weekend racetrack. "Please, please, approve a 40mph limit along Kanes Hill," he implored councillors.

Backing the residents' plea, Councillor Martin Kyrle said fruitless requests to lower the speed limit had been made as long as 20 years ago and added: "To my mind this speed limit is long overdue."

Last month, the council's Bursledon, Hamble and Hound local area committee agreed to slash the speed limit and with the neighbouring local area committee now also backing the move, the matter is set to proceed.

As part of the traffic order, the speed limit on a section of St John's Road at Hedge End is also set to tumble from 60mph to 40mph.