Crackdown on roads after high number of injury crashes

TWO danger roads are being targeted by police in a bid to cut the number of crashes leaving people injured or dead.
Police are hoping to cut the number of accidents on the A32 (pictured) and the A3Police are hoping to cut the number of accidents on the A32 (pictured) and the A3
Police are hoping to cut the number of accidents on the A32 (pictured) and the A3

The A32 in Gosport and Fareham and the A3 between Waterlooville and Horndean are being patrolled by roads policing officers after a high number of injury crashes.

Between the two roads, there were 63 ‘injury crashes’ between August 2014 and July 2015.

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The crackdown also takes in the A27 at Portsmouth through to Swanwick. And a separate operation is targeting the upper end of the A32, looking at motorbike crashes.

As part of the operation, officers will routinely visit the roads in a bid to cut the number of injuries to pedestrians, drivers and cyclists.

Sgt David Sanderson, of Havant Roads Policing Unit, said: ‘If we see somebody using a mobile phone or driving in excess of the speed limit or without due care and attention – expect to be stopped and prosecuted and dealt with.’

He added: ‘This is not about pursuing people – this is about reducing casualties.

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‘We will check in three to six months to see if there’s been a reduction.’

Sgt Sanderson wants the public’s help in reducing the number of injuries.

The roads were chosen through Hampshire police’s data analysis.

And it comes after the speed limit was reduced on the A32 in Fareham between the Salterns Lane junction and the Gosport and Fareham boundary near Hoeford Inn due to crashes resulting in injuries.

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Hampshire County Council reduced the limit to 30mph from 40mph after a review.

Cllr Sean Woodward, the transport lead at Hampshire County Council, said: ‘Without a doubt the excessive use of speed is a cause of serious accidents, among other things. I totally support what the police are doing, I hope it will have an effect.

‘It’s not a good accident record on the A32.’

On the A32 police are looking at all road users, but specifically at bike riders.

Between August 2014 and July 2015 there were 40 reported injury crashes, with nine of those were classed as killed or seriously injured.

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The worst hours are 6am to 8am and 2pm to 6pm. And of the 40 accidents, 14 involved cyclists, 10 were motorcyclists and six were pedestrians.

Cllr Ken Moon, ward member for Clanfield on East Hampshire District Council, said: ‘Anything that the police do to reduce the number of crashes and serious injuries sustained by people has got to be a good thing.’

The most common factor was failure to look properly.

On the A3 there were 23 injury crashes, with eight killed or seriously injured.

The worst hours were 2pm to 6pm in the week and 12pm to 6pm at weekends.

Five crashes involved bikes, four involved motorcyclists and two pedestrians.

The most common factor was failure to judge another person’s path or speed and failure to look properly.