Five subjects were discussed at the Marchwood Road Safety workshop on 17th October.  Comments on each subject were recorded as follows:

1.  How do we plan to establish an effective lorry ban in the village centre between the Dibden Roundabout and Cracknore Hard Lane?

Background.

A meeting was held in August with representatives of Marchwood Parish Council and Local Members regarding the lorry issues in Marchwood and in particular the problem of the traffic congestion and feelings of vulnerability for pedestrians using Hythe Road.  It was agreed that options would be investigated to see how the situation might be alleviated and it is hoped that a viable solution can be implemented in a future programme.  The County Council is to look at three options to restrict lorries using Hythe Road. 

The three options under consideration are:

1) Extend the existing lorry restrictions in the village to cover the Hythe Road/Oakland Drive/Normandy Way route between Cracknore Hard Lane junction and the Main Road junction leading to Hythe.

2) Implement a southbound only 'point' restriction on Normandy Way south of the Cracknore Hard Lane junction

3) Implement a part time restriction to either cover the Hythe Road/Oakland Drive/Normandy Way route between Cracknore Hard Lane junction and the Main Road junction leading to Hythe or as a southbound only 'point' restriction on Normandy Way south of the Cracknore Hard Lane junction.

Comments on option 1 a total ban.

1. • The only meaningful option.  Not complicated to understand. Easier to police.
   
2. 
   
5. • Realise that lorries delivering to village could then use any road in the village and if accident on A326 lorries would probably be allowed through, but think this is still preferable as it would be a very infrequent problem.
   
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6. All lorries should be banned from Twiggs lane.  NO WAY should it be re-opened to lorries to gain access if restrictions were applied to Hythe Road
7. .
   
   • Any ban or partial ban must be enforced more stringently than it seems to be now.
   
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8. Has a survey been done to find out where the lorries are going to and coming from?
   
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9. All tables expressed the clear view that a total lorry ban was the only realistic option.

Comments on option 2, a Southbound only ban:    

1. • Really little better than we have already and wouldn’t solve the problem.
2. 
   
   • Complicated to police

Comments on option 3, a part-time restriction.

1. • Difficult to understand and complicated to police.
2. 
   
   • How will this be enforced?
   
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3. May lead to a queue of traffic waiting to go through
   
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4. Wouldn’t help people who have problems with the noise of the lorries at night.

Other comments.

• • Inconvenience factor reduced if better road surfaces.

• • Why do some HGV’s enter Marchwood is this a SAT NAV issue?

• • School parent responsibility to properly park their cars

• • Has a total voluntary ban been considered and those complying would be congratulated publicly

• • Roundabout outside Industrial Park should have traffic lights

• • Addition of a restriction of left turn out of Industrial Park (similar to Tavells Lane onto A326 forcing a left turn only)

• • Car park in field opposite Infant school

• • Yellow lines along by Hythe garage

• • Speed restriction on lorries

• • Original village plan included a road from Mulberry Road just past the Pilgrim to roundabout on bypass.  Why did this not happen?  Developers gave money for this, what happened to the money?

• • Why was the A326 never made into a dual carriageway?  Money was made available by ESSO etc.

• • Why not establish a road from old incinerator to A326

• • Put a roundabout or flyover to south of Houndsdown Industrial estate to allow simple south/north access to Jacobs Gutter Lane. Cheapest option!

2.  Where do we need to improve footpaths and crossings within Marchwood to ensure safe passage, particularly at school pick up / drop off times?

Priority areas for action are:

1. 1. Footpath width outside of St John’s Church area is too narrow for passing pedestrians, pushchairs etc., with the result that pedestrians, including children travelling to school, have to step into road and face the busy traffic.  Change the road layout to facilitate a wider footpath outside the church and to include safe crossing places and a bus pull-in on other side of road.  Option to use redundant road behind bus stop to move everything over enabling path to be widened.  Consider moving the church wall in towards church, but may be problem with the drain
3. 
   
   2. Various sections of Long Lane have no footpaths on either side of the road. A pavement on one side is a minimum requirement to ensure pedestrian safety in this highly populated part of the village.  (Contribution from Saints?)
   
   3.
4. Provision of a safe footpath/cycleway along Hythe Road from the village centre to the Dibden roundabout, to include a pavement from the village to The Pilgrim public house. (Contribution from the Pilgrim?)
5. 
   
   4. Jacobs Gutter Lane/Bury Road.  Bury road is a priority as currently dug up, so it’s the right time to construct a footpath and cycleway
6. 
   
   5. Normandy Way.
1. a. Sections of this road shows evidence of high pedestrian footfall where no pavements exist.  Grass verges leading from the village centre to the Industrial park show muddy tracks right up to and including the entrances to Autumn Road.
2. 
   
   b. A pavement is required from Cracknore Hard Lane to link up with existing pavement in Normandy Way/Oakland Drive.
3. 
   
   c. Normandy Way has new dedicated bus stops with tarmac standing areas. Public and school buses stop at these stops but they have no pavements leading to them.

Crossings required.

1. • Pedestrian crossing in Main Road near St Johns church
2. 
   
   • Pedestrian crossing in Normandy Way outside Industrial Park.
3. 
   
   • At Dibden roundabout to cross if footpath put in

Other comments:

1. • Parking restrictions should be applied at school travel times between the village centre and Twiggs Lane to help ensure safe passage to school.  Install double yellow lines at each end of Twiggs Lane.  Consider closing Twiggs Lane at the A326 end to make into a no-through road
   
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2. Parking outside Marchwood garage should be stopped, there is no decent pavement, cars parked outside cause dangers both for pedestrians and drivers
3. 
   
   • Look at making field opposite Infant school a car park.
4. 
   
   • Poor lighting in a number of locations should be improved to make footpaths safer.
5. 
   
   • Safer footpath connecting the bus stop opposite Lloyds Recreation to the pavement at Moss Drive

3.  Where do we need to establish safe footpaths and cycle ways between Marchwood and its surrounding areas of Hythe, Dibden, Eling and Totton and in practical terms, how and exactly where, might these be established?

Priority areas for action are:

To Hythe and Dibden.

1. • There are strong arguments in favour of providing a safe footpath/cycleway along Hythe Road from the village centre to the Dibden roundabout.  This would include a pavement from the village to The Pilgrim public house. (Contribution from the Pilgrim?)
2. 
   
   • Cut back verge and extend the path as was done for the new bus stop recently put in place
4. 
   
   • Applemore is our secondary school catchment area.  Children could cycle to school if a cycle route along Hythe Rd was established, however Hythe Road/Southampton Road junction would need to be made safer to cross with either traffic lights or a pelican crossing.
5. 
   
   • This path would also support weekend recreational use of the Forest
   
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6. Why not utilise existing infrastructure and add an additional footpath and cycleway alongside the railway line from Hythe to Marchwood
7. 
   
   • At the dangerous corner past Veals Lane, the pathway should be re-routed through adjacent land, possibly via a ‘boardwalk’ through the wooded area on the bypass side.
8. 
   
   • Open up the existing pathway from Veals Lane to Hythe
9. A cycle path could be installed alongside the bypass.
10. 
    
    • A footpath cycle track could be installed on both sides by putting a pipe in the ditch and raising the level to provide a footpath/cycle way. Another option would be to install just on one side of the road for two way passage.

To Eling and Totton

1. • People work in Southampton there is a cycle route all the way to Southampton from Eling, so need a cycle route down Bury Rd to Eling.
   
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2. Bury road is a priority as currently dug up, so it’s the right time to construct a footpath and cycleway.
3. 
   
   • Path would also link the village safely to Bury Brickfields caravan park

Other comments

1. • What argument was used by Lyndhurst to get their path?
   
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2. Would people use a cycleway?
   
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3. Would connection between Marchwood and surrounding areas spoil the village feel?
   
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4. Is there a link to any existing cycleway? Fawley to Holbury providing links to Southampton and Totton next to the railway
5. 
   
   • Stop Avbury from building up to the road without putting in a footpath.

4.  Where do we need to control the speed of traffic in Marchwood and what action do we want to see taken to achieve that?

Places.

1. • Reduce the speed limit on all small roads in the village to 20mph
2. 
   
   • Reduce speed limit to 30mph (from 40mph) in Normandy Way

Mechanisms.

1. • More speed limit signs
   
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2. Speed signs at entries to the village that detect speed and flash at driver to ‘SLOW DOWN’
3. 
   
   • Speed cameras
4. 
   
   • Signs painted on road
5. 
   
   • Move 30mph signs throughout village
6. 
   
   • Traffic calming measure (extra) in main road on bend (rear Old Cracknore Hard Lane)
   
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7. Traffic calming structures in Main Road are dangerous.  They are badly sited and have poor visibility
8.  
   
   • ‘Please Drive Carefully’ and ‘Thank You’ for driving carefully’ signs please
9. 
   
   • Random evening police checks (after 10pm) to discourage ‘youths’
   
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10. No school warning sign if you are coming into village via Hythe Road
11. 
    
    • Additional Pedestrian Crossings
12. 
    
    • Clever signage at football ground end of Staplewood Lane to ensure that people are aware that it is a give-way crossing.
13. 
    
    • Better junction at by-pass end of Twiggs Lane safer for children/adults crossing from other side of Twiggs Lane

Other comments.

1. • Road calming mechanisms encourage dare devil driving
   
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2. Could Normandy Way have a quiet road surface (the same as Millbrook?)

5.  Are there any other road safety issues that you think should be highlighted?

1. • Address the road queue issue at tip during development of the new building via a filter lane or more queuing space inside tip
   
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2. Tips closed at Houndsdown and Lime Kiln Lane therefore all those areas come to Marchwood.  This does not make sense, it causes more traffic through village, the population has grown we need more waste disposal areas.
3. 
   
   • Rubbish falling off vehicles en-route to either the Industrial Park or public tip regularly cause road hazards.
4. 
   
   • Install mirrors to make it safer to cross at Long Lane because when you are crossing road coming from infant school it’s a blind bend.  The same at Cracknore Hard Lane so you can see around blind bend on Normandy Way
5. 
   
   • Crash barrier along A326 where it passes infant school playing field.
6. 
   
   • There are ever increasing numbers of lorry movements taking place at night.  Residents in the proximity of Cracknore Hard Lane and the Industrial Park are frequently being disturbed and sleep is regularly disrupted.  It is believed that poor signage means that many drivers are unsure of their direction and therefore frequently have to reverse and manoeuvre their vehicles while they sort themselves out.  The noise this creates has reached unacceptable levels.
   
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7. Traffic should not be allowed to turn right into The Priory – this is really dangerous.  Alternatively widen the road and establish right turn box.
8. 
   
   • Vegetation to be regularly cut back on all pathways and at all junctions
9. 
   
   • Provide additional street lighting in priority areas
10. 
    
    • Stop people parking on the pavements and irresponsibly on the road
11. 
    
    • Install double yellow lines in dangerous areas
12. 
    
    • Provide additional car park in field opposite Infant school
13. 
    
    • The entrance to Cork field skate park is blind and an absolute black spot with speeding cars.
    
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14. Road systems have not moved with the times or growth rate of the village.
15. 
    
    • When seeking solutions perhaps we need to think more ‘outside the box’.  For example, why don’t we consider establishing a one-way system running throughout the village?