CALLS to lower the speed limit on a “dangerously unsafe” road near Ferndown are to be considered next week.

More than 1,000 people signed a petition calling for the 40mph limit on Stapehill Road to be reduced to 30mph.

However, the change has been opposed, with a police road safety officer saying that it could create other traffic issues.

The petition calling on Dorset County Council to “exercise a duty of care” and reduce the speed limit has been signed by 1,131 people and will be considered by its petition panel on Thursday.

Monitoring work carried out by the council shows that the road is used by more than 5,000 vehicles on an average day.

The council painted new line markings on the road last year.

The petition, which has been led by David Frankl and Ian Baxter, says: “Stapehill Road is a narrow lane with no pavements.

“The lane is a major traffic route between Ham Lane and Wimborne Road West used by an average of 5,799 vehicles a day and as a direct result is dangerously unsafe for pedestrians, cyclists horse rides, mobility scooters and residents and visitors entering and leaving their drives.

“We request that Dorset County Council takes immediate action to exercise a duty of care and safety for all users of Stapehill Road by reducing the current speed limit along its whole length from 40mph to 30mph or less and to provide the necessary means to enforce the new speed limit.”

However, in a statement responding to the petition, Dorset Police road casualty reduction officer PC Heidi Moxam says they would not support the change.

“Dorset Police would not support a reduction due to the lack of statistical data that is normally used to support applications,” she said.

“On two visits to the area by the road camera safety team over a period of 30 minutes and 90 minutes per sessions, there were only two offences, which would suggest that traffic is travelling at or below the current restriction.

“It is possible that if the limit was reduced, motorists may look for overtaking opportunities and potentially come into conflict with manoeuvring vehicles.”

Three minor crashes were recorded on the road by police on the road between May 2013 and June 2018.