A SECOND safety audit is being carried out on the new roundabout at Butts Bridge following concerns from motorists who fear it is an “accident waiting to happen”.

Hampshire County Council insists the roundabout has been built in line with relevant highways policies but told the Herald further safety inspections will be carried out at the site.

A spokesman said: “The county council confirms the new road layout, design and delivery by the developers was carried out in accordance with national guidelines.

“The new road layout has been subject to an initial independent road safety audit and another audit has been arranged.”

Any safety issues raised by the audit will be “reviewed with the developer and their design consultant” and then “formally issued to Hampshire County Council for assessment”.

A key concern is that motorists waiting at the end of Butts Road have to give way to traffic coming from Whitedown Lane but cannot see past the new bridge wall.

This is compounded by the newly-widened carriageway and clear line of sight for vehicles with the right of way, which means they can join the roundabout much faster than before.

James Willis highlighted the issue in a diagram which he shared on Facebook.

He said: “A fix will have to be invented before there is a serious accident.”

Dr Willis also wondered if there could be some way of “enforcing, and preferably reducing, the speed limit on that part of Whitedown Lane past the Butts and French Horn”.

District councillor Ginny Boxall added: “I am indeed concerned about the new roundabout, particularly the speed of the cars along Whitedown Lane as they approach.

“You have to be very careful as you exit Butts Road and I support calls for the county council to take a closer look at this.

“Engineers could put in some traffic-calming measures such as reducing the speed immediately before the roundabout on Whitedown Lane to 20mph.”

Some motorists have joked a narrower bridge, just like the one demolished early last year, would mitigate the issue.

Homes England is behind the replacement of Butts Bridge.

The work was deemed essential to facilitate the delivery of 500 new houses in the south of Alton.

It will work with Crest Nicholson to provide 280 new homes at the former Lord Mayor Treloar Hospital site and Harvington Properties to deliver a further 243 new homes at Borovere Farm, accessed from the new roadworks.