SAFETY campaigners are calling for improvements to a stretch of road where a pedestrian died.

The 21-year-old man who was a pedestrian died in hospital after a collision with a Ford Kuga on the A33 at Kings Worthy on Wednesday.

Yesterday, campaigners presented a petition signed by more than 400 people about the stretch of road where the collision happened.

They say the speed limit is too high and should be cut to 40mph and that recent changes to the layout of the ‘Cart and Horses junction’ have made things worse.

Jill Prince and David Learmonth presented the petition at the county council meeting in Winchester yesterday in a move planned before the accident happened at around 5.30pm on Wednesday evening.

Ms Prince, of Lynn Way, Kings Worthy, said: “We knew there had been another accident, but when we presented the petition we did not know he had died. I’m very upset.”

As well as the difficult junction, the campaigners say the speed limit is too high. The cause of Wednesday’s accident is under investigation.

Jackie Porter, county and city councillor, (pictured) said last night: “I’m devastated, absolutely devastated. We have been campaigning for a long time to get the speed limit reduced. There have been accidents in the last few months.”

Winchester MP Steve Brine said: "

My deepest condolences to the man's family who are in my prayers.

"We need hard facts now from what is a big police investigation and cool heads rather than conjecture which is not helpful.

"We've been saying with one voice for some time now that ultimately this junction needs fundamental layout change but more than anything we have to bring down the speed of vehicles coming into and out of this space.

"Several years ago I brought the Transport Secretary to this spot and within seconds he labelled it a 'nasty junction'.

"Nothing can make a road or a junction accident full-proof but our problems here at Kings Worthy are clearly far from resolved.

"As ever, I will work cross party with anyone to help."

The man who died was from Cheriton, near Alresford, and he was taken to Southampton General Hospital but died from his injuries this morning. He has not been named.

The police had closed a stretch of road from the junction with the B3047 near the Cart and Horses to the Winnall interchange at junction 9 of the M3.

The victim’s next of kin have been informed and are being supported by officers.

The driver, a 45-year-old man from Chandler’s Ford, was uninjured.

The police are appealing for witnesses anyone with information to call 101 quoting 44160442729.”