Category Listing: Campaign update

Updates on campaigns we are involved with. Note that some articles and news about campaign developments are published only in the members’ area of the site. To see more log in to the site.

Butser Cutting update

Campaign update, News

You might be aware that work at the south section of the route has stalled because of issues with the slope up from the Queen Elizabeth Country Park car park to the new path.

This document is the proposal to Hampshire County Council to spend the extra money necessary to complete the route.

This document is the record of the approval given by the relevant executive member to the extra spend.

So it looks like the path will be completed. It will be a while, however, before we get a reliable completion date.

Rationale for the Centurion Way extension

Campaign update, News

Gilbert brings our attention to the following letter to the Chichester Observer explaining the logic behind the Centurion Way extension which ends in a cul-de-sac...

We are pleased to hear that people are enjoying the recent extension to the Centurion Way between Lavant and West Dean.

We appreciate that there is some frustration that it doesn't yet offer an off-road route into West Dean and thought it would be helpful to clarify the current status and next steps as part of our long-term ambition to bring the route all the way to Midhurst. The recent path extension which opened in December was made possible thanks to funding from the Department for Transport. As this funding was time limited we considered it best to carry out agreed construction works at once even though this would result in a dead end as we had not yet identified a means of providing access to the village.

We have been working in partnership with landowners and the local community to resolve this issue and are confident that we will find an acceptable solution in the near future.

In the meantime we've installed information panels and fingerposts at Binderton to alert users that access to the village remains via the route adjacent to the A286.

We are asking that people using the path respect the privacy of adjacent landowners. Trespassing on their land is not only unlawful but could jeopardise ongoing discussions and erode goodwill as we try to find a long-term solution.

We will continue to develop the Centurion Way as and when funding becomes available as part of our vision to develop a network of core shared paths across the National Park.

We are grateful for the support of the Edward James Foundation, owners of the West Dean Estate, for their continued support and look forward to working with landowners, tenants and communities to reach a a solution. For further information about the Centurion Way project, please contact info@southdowns.gov.uk

Andrew Lee
Director of strategy and partnership
South Down National Park Authority

Emsworth cycle projects

Campaign update, General interest, News

The following has recently been sent by the Transport & Implementation Team based at Havant Borough Council as their November’s update regarding the various cycle infrastructure projects in Emsworth. Click either entry to find out more about:

Live projects

Havant Road A259: we have now resurfaced the former red cycle lanes, this was completed yesterday (18 Nov). We have already received positive feedback about the ride quality of the new lanes, although we have had to follow the old kerb lines which in places have sunk from their original level! Although some of the line painting was able to be done earlier today (for safety reasons we started with repainting the ‘give way’ markings across the side road junctions), we need dry weather to complete this; currently the intention is for the line painting to re-start on Saturday (weather permitting) which will involve painting the cycle lanes themselves. These will now be generally 1.5m wide, up from the original 1.1 – 1.2m; this will serve to visually narrow the road and assist in helping users to observe the 30mph speed limit. The red anti-skid (which will now only be placed in short lengths across junctions and crossings) might have to follow early next year as this requires consistently drier weather. We are now concluding work in the Barn Close area, building the new larger central island which we had to leave until now to assist with the traffic management during the resurfacing operation which took up to half the road width. We expect to broadly finish this by the end of next week. We will then fall back along the whole length of the job, clearing and tidying as we go. Additional road signs will be installed in the new year, linking through to the new route recently opened at Warblington School and so on into Havant.

Emsworth Station: the double deck 24-space cycle parking shelter installation onto the concrete slab we cast in October is expected to be completed by the end of the month. We then need to erect fencing around the shelter and it is expected to be open to the public in early December. When complete there will be a total of 48 stand spaces available at the station, compared with 18 previously. The environmental mitigation works (including a new information / interpretation board) agreed with the Emsworth Waysides Group for the northern site will be installed once the new shelter has been completed. The path to access the station subway on the north side will be widened to 2.5m and converted to ‘shared’ status once the shelter is in place.

Selangor Avenue / Victoria Road / Emsworth Primary School: apart from route confirmation signs along these roads, this scheme is complete.

Projects in design

The following projects are in various stages of design, with implementation planned during 2016.

Emsworth – Rowlands Castle cycle link: this is a new scheme to create a waymarked off road cycle friendly route between Hollybank Lane and Rowlands Castle through Hollybank Woods and Southleigh Forest. The route, which is intended to link National Cycle Network (NCN) route 2 in Emsworth with NCN22 at Rowlands Castle, involves targeted upgrades of existing paths and bridleways, signposting and route marking.

Horndean Road toucan crossing and Recreation Ground links: this is an upgrade to the existing crossing point at St James School. Design continues on this new facility; HCC has now provided the draft toucan layout so we are now able to work up the scheme in detail to link it to the wider network. This will include the signposting of a ‘quiet route’ link between Bellevue Lane and New Brighton Road via Christopher Way and Fairfield Close, providing a connection from the east to the new crossing point, as well as work within the Recreation Ground to widen the east and south side paths to create up to 3m wide shared routes. The scheme is planned to be built in the school summer holiday period in 2016.

Interbridges Link: we have reached agreement in principle with the relevant parties to implement proposals for a new east-west link between Washington Road and New Brighton Road, using land between the railway and the A27. This link will connect both into the new Station cycle parking area and the Interbridges junction, and by converting the verge on the east side of New Brighton Road (north of the Horndean Road junction) to shared status we will have achieved a quiet / off road route between Westbourne and Emsworth. Following a review of contractual arrangements and efficiency of delivery, it has been decided that this work is best done at the same time, and within the same contract, as the other work in the Recreation Ground and with the toucan crossing (i.e. summer holiday period 2016).

Havant’s Engineering Works Team are carrying out further work in North Street (currently outside Tesco), widening and improving the crossing points at the two junctions with Palmers Road. The remainder of the proposed works have been paused in case anything that comes out of the North Street Urban Design Consultation being run by Emsworth Forum conflicts with what we had planned to do.

Other Emsworth projects, including comprehensive and consistent waymarking of all the new routes through the network, will progress throughout the next year.

Please be aware that any future work may be adjusted in terms of scope and time scales.

Warblington cycle track

Campaign update, News

Hi folks.

I just thought I would tell you about the new cycle track from the Billy Line to Warblington school.

It is a nice smooth surface with only a little bit missing at the moment. As yet it has no cycle track markings and there is no dropped curb at the school end (which might be dangerous) so you have to ride on the footpath if going north and meld into the traffic as you cross the rail track. If going south you still have to use the footpath to meet up with the cycle track to Emsworth which is across the road from the school. Maybe there will be some markings when they have completely finished it.

If the rail barrier is down when getting to the north end of the Billy Line it may be quicker to use this cycle lane as you only have to wait for one set of trains at Warblington and not two as you have to at New Lane.

Pop

Staunton Country Park update

Campaign update, News

Here's an update on progress at Staunton Country Park provided by Hampshire County Council:

If you fancy getting active this summer and exploring the great outdoors, why not try out the new Green Grade mountain bike trail at Staunton Country Park. The 7km trail, suitable for beginners or novice cyclists, begins at Staunton Country Park and includes part of Havant Thicket (land managed by the Forestry Commission).

New map boards, showing the entire route, are now in place around the Park and paper copies will soon be available free of charge from the Staunton Visitor Centre.

Upgrades to the three existing walking trails have also been made, making it even easier for people to get out and enjoy the countryside!

Sheet level crossing

Campaign update, News

On local TV news on 23rd June there was an item about Network Rail’s intent to hold a “referendum” of local residents. Reportedly, they are to be asked to choose between the level crossing being replaced by a footbridge (no mention of cycling), and the level crossing being closed with no replacement at all; NR would use the result of the referendum as input to discussions with local government.

Parents of children at the adjacent primary school are objecting to the retention of the present half barrier crossing.

If cyclists views are to be considered it would be wise to obtain the views of cyclists living in the Petersfield area.

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Issues regarding the Meon Valley Trail

Campaign update, News

There have been several articles in the press and on TV attacking the Meon Valley Trail project. These articles have contained incorrect and misleading information resulting in unfair criticism of the project and those involved including Portsmouth CTC's Jim Weeks and Mike Ashton who provided (and continue to provide) considerable, useful input to the project.

This article corrects some of the false assertions that have been flying around...
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