CROSS ROAD in Weymouth has become one of the area's worst rat runs – putting the lives of school pupils and elderly residents at risk.

The claim has been made at a council meeting this week.

Residents are now calling for action to tackle the problem, including making part of the road no entry, extending 'keep clear' lines and limiting speeds to 20mph.

A residential home in Cross Road will be asked to ensure its staff park on its site, rather than nearby streets and local councillor Brian Heatley will meet with highway staff to find solutions to the problems.

Weymouth town councillors backed some of the residents calls for action and will also talk to Dorset Council about solutions.

Resident Rod Harris told the town's planning committee on Tuesday evening that those who live in the road and adjoining Rectory Way and Glebe Close have had enough of traffic problems.

“Cross Road has become one of the worst rat runs in Wemouth...

“We believe its now a dangerous situation...but there are also terrible problems coming out of Rectory Way, you have to go so far out into the road to see properly that it's dangerous,” he told councillors.

A meeting of residents has rejected the idea of painting double yellow lines down one side of Cross Road fearing that it will only increase traffic speeds. They have also said they do not want speed humps.

Mr Harris said simple solutions might work – like a 20mph limit and extending the white lines at the mouth of Rectory Way by the length of two cars on either side. Having fewer care home staff parking their cars on the streets would also ease congestion.

“I know a serious accident hasn't happened there, but there is one waiting to happen,” said Mr Harris.

Residents have also expressed concerns about access for emergency vehicles at peak times and parents being forced into the road with buggies and small children because of inconsiderate parking.

Cllr Brian Heatley, who attended a residents meeting this week, said he shared the concerns and said he would ask for the additional white lines around Rectory Way and was also in favour of a blanket 20mph speed limit for all residential areas.

He said he hoped a request to the Gracewell care home about staff parking would be well received with the home being seen to play its part as 'good citizens.'

Cllr Trefor Morgan said he lived in the area in the 1970s when it was relatively quiet: “but now it's an absolute nightmare, especially at school time...something must be done, it's now got to a critical point. If it's not at the top of Dorset Council's agenda, it ought to be,” he said.

The committee backed calls for a 20mph limit, extra white lines around Rectory Way and the proposal for a no entry section into Cross Road off the Buxton Road at the point where existing pinch points start in the road. This would still allow access to and from Down Road.