You may be interested in responding to a consultation for cyclists displayed on the East Hampshire District Council web site at http://www.easthampshire.org/2014/04/mod-and-shipwrights-way-partnership-working-together-provide-for-cyclists-longmoor/
MoD and Shipwrights Way Partnership working together to provide for cyclists at Longmoor Cyclists, walkers and horse-riders will have two new routes on the Longmoor ranges in 2015 thanks to collaboration between the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) and the Shipwrights Way Partnership. The two new routes will provide links between Bordon and Greatham (connecting with onward links to Liss) and Bordon and Liphook. The latter will form part of the Shipwrights Way, which runs from Alice Holt Forest near Farnham in the north all of the way to Portsmouth’s Historic Dockyard in the south. These routes will not need to be closed during military training, affording all year round safe access. Although the garrison is moving out of Bordon, the military training areas, including Longmoor, will be used more intensively in future. DIO, the Ministry of Defence’s (MoD) property and services provider, manages the training estate which will host a greater variety of military exercises. Public rights of way will remain open, but with more of the area being used some permissive footpaths may be closed more frequently; this is happening across the MoD estate in the region, not just at Longmoor. Final approval of the proposals will come from Hampshire County Council; relevant consents will then be sought from Natural England. Councillor Ken Carter, East Hampshire District Councillor for communities and member of the Shipwrights Way Steering Group, said: “The relationship between the Armed Forces and residents of East Hampshire has always been a very positive one. The departure of the garrison will not be the end of that relationship.” “The Longmoor ranges belong to the MoD and with increased military activity, it is important to everyone involved that we make the area safe for residents to travel around. It is fortunate that the Shipwrights Way project was already underway and is able, with the MoD’s support, to provide these new routes.” “DIO has been very helpful in proposing these new routes; a mile of bridleway has already been dedicated north of Bordon. The routes are the best solution for both residents and the Armed Forces.” For more information on the Shipwrights way, see www.shipwrights.org.uk and for more on the proposed new routes please contact Dave Deane (david.deane@southdowns.gov.uk )Text of the proposal
Click here to see a map of the proposed routes.
Two new routes are proposed on the Longmoor Ranges site. The summary of the situation as far as I know it is as follows:
- A new 2.5km bridleway from Whitehill to Greatham between the A325 and MOD's Longmoor Perimeter Track.It will connect to the asphalt surfaced cycle routes from Petersfield to Greatham and north through Bordon. The north end of the route is at the junction of the A325 and Liphook Road and the south at the junction of the A325 with Benhams Lane. The A325 is a busy road with fast traffic that is not cycle friendly and without direct alternatives. The end sections of this route are on reasonably firm ground through attractive woodland but the central sections are on very wet ground that floods. The situation is complicated as much of the route is through an SSSI. The HCC proposal is to build an unsealed chipping surfaced route. While a new cycle route is obviously welcome the concerns with the proposal are that: For most cyclists a gap will remain in the Hampshire Cycle network and an opportunity to increase cycling in the area will be lost; in wet conditions a route with a chipping surface would be slow to cycle; need a lot of maintenance; would have a short useful life; would not be cost effective and will not be suitable for most cycle commuting into the Bordon business centre or south to Petersfield or for recreational cyclists with road bikes. This could effectively exclude more than half the potential cycling use; HCC are attracted by the possibilities of increasing horse use on the Longmoor site and linking Bordon to the bridleways from Greatham.
- A new permissive route between Liphook Road at Hollywater and Griggs Green. This connects up the Shipwrights Way route between Bordon and Liss. The route mainly follows theline of a dismantled railway and seems to be in character with much of Shipwrights Way. As far as I can see the proposal for this route seems to be a reasonable proposition.
Mike Ashton
A CTC Right to Ride Representative
I usually ride around this area after work, now that the sun is out and finally get some time to get out again I notice that the ranges are being sealed off with wire fences and concrete posts. Are we still allowed to cycle around the perimeter of the site?? I thought it was part of the cycle network, but have been told that the footbridges over the A3 on the have been closed off and redirected. I am hoping to get out next week so may have a better idea then, but it would he nice to know.
I cycle home from work using the perimeter track daily and have had no problem. (Sections were closed off when they were erecting new fencing.) I cross the A3 using the bridge which leads down into Liss Forest.
I regularly cycle from Liss to Bordon, the section between Greatham and Whitehill could definitely be improved, the current track is not suitable for road bikes and the section of the A325 is definitely not cycle friendly. Therefore I welcome these proposals.
Are there any conclusions from this consultation?
Any timescales?
Bordon link of Shipwright's Way was due for "Spring 2015" and no sign of any significant activity on either of the proposed routes to-date...