TRADERS have called for a review of £1 million road im-provements they say contributed to an accident involving a girl.

Katherine Hopkinson, 12, suffered shock, bruises and cuts, when she was hit by a car on Stoke Road, Gosport.

Katherine's mother Karen and stepfather Tim O'Brien, of The Avenue, run Shamar, an Internet cafe on Stoke Road, near where the accident happened.

Mr O'Brien said: "This accident wasn't the driver's fault. Katherine was all right in the end. The people who helped Katherine did a great job. It could have been a lot worse.

"The general situation of the traffic since the road was altered does make things more dangerous and confusing for pedestrians.''

About £1m has been spent on slowing traffic by narrowing shop-lined Stoke Road and upgrading signs and pavements.

Den Hookings, of Den's Surplus store, Stoke Road, was first to help Katherine. He said: "She couldn't see the car and that's understandable ever since the road was narrowed. Cars have to pull over to avoid a collision and pedestrians aren't sure if a car is parked or not.''

Retained firefighter Tony Haggar, who runs Tony's Fish shop, took over with his first aid skills. He said: "There aren't enough pedestrian crossings. But at least the traffic-calming has slowed the traffic. Otherwise the girl might not be alive now.''

Mark Hook, Gosport transport committee chairman, said: "Speeds have reduced from an average of 33mph to 24mph, which reduces serious accidents. There are eight crossings on the road.''