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Utter chaos - WhatonEarth! (12th Jan 2023 - 11:27:31) Moved to post on here due to the fact that an ambulance with it's blues on has been forced to REVERSE along London Road having overtaken the queue caused by the temporary traffic lights only to find that it couldn't get through. Alongside the absolutely hideous feats of driving going on by people who think they can queue jump to get to their turning with oncoming vehicles apparently having the ability to vanish at will to get out of their way. Contacted EHDC traffic department and they HAVE NO RECORD of there being traffic lights in Liphook other than in Earls Road and possibly Headley Road just before the The Avenue! They are now 'investigating'. Their phone number is: 0300 5551375

Re: Utter chaos - Tracy Cook (12th Jan 2023 - 12:09:51) I have also contacted HCC and our local HC Councillor and MP.

Re: Utter chaos - Paul Robinson (12th Jan 2023 - 12:30:35) The reason for this traffic chaos is the imposition of three way signals at the head of the Midhurst Road at the junction of Haslemere Road while work laying fibre optic cables is carried out. Perhaps the 'Drone Man', who took the spectacular images of last year's carnival, could be prevailed upon to record the traffic backed up from Conford along the Headley road to the village centre, from the A3 junctions on both London Road and Portsmouth Road, and from the railway bridges on both the Midhurst and Haslemere road. This could then be e-mailed to both East Hants District Council and Hampshire Highways who are, no doubt, scratching their heads wondering where Liphook is! Paul Robinson

Re: Utter chaos - Resident (12th Jan 2023 - 12:31:45) We don’t need ring roads around our square do we . Liphook has got so big now we need to preserve our square it’s about time our Parrish council and EHDC did something about it. Other places get roads around their centres why is it liphook misses out seems the don’t no where liphook is . Complete and utter farce Hampshire Highways have said time and again that the square is at capacity so why don’t they do something about it . All they did was suggest 5 options but no action EHDC let us down badly by not implementing option 4 at lowsley park complete stitch up .We need action or we lose our square which will be a disaster.

Re: Utter chaos - Les (12th Jan 2023 - 14:09:23) And now Bloor Homes have submitted their planning application for 100 new homes at Chiltley Farm. Another 200 cars per day on an infrastructure that is already broken...

Re: Utter chaos - Resident (12th Jan 2023 - 15:42:22) Yes and that’s another complete stitch up by EHDC money talks no way should any development take place on that side of the square until there is a road system to the A3 . If we go on building housing estates without proper infrastructure our conservation square will disappear under a mass of traffic. The pollution is way above the limit now . It’s time we made the people in charge listen some how or other. Parrish council seems to not care so why do we have them they seem to be frightened of EHDC. Our district and county councillors are the same do nothing for Liphook. Bramshott gets more but some of them live there so that answers that.

Re: Utter chaos - Ian (12th Jan 2023 - 19:31:41) Resident- in relation to your comment on pollution, what is the ‘limit’ you mention and how have you measured it? Surely when the A3 came through the Square pre 1991 pollution levels were at least comparable?

Re: Utter chaos - Joe (12th Jan 2023 - 21:52:15) I have heard that the traffic lights are to enable the fibre connections to be installed, which most residents have been pushing for over the last few years and swish have a blanket permission to dig up the roads from the councils. Be careful what you wish for.

Re: Utter chaos - Resident (12th Jan 2023 - 22:31:29) That’s the point Ian we are back to more traffic on the London and Portsmouth roads than when the A3 came through. But the other roads ie longmoor midhurst headly haslemere roads hardly had any traffic now they are very very busy on a par with the other’s so the amount of traffic going through our square is more than double than it was . Something HAS to be done.

Re: Utter chaos - Steve miller (12th Jan 2023 - 22:53:35) Not for the first time I need to remind everyone that at no time did HCC highways suggest 5 options for improving traffic flow through Liphook. What they actually did as a part of the Lowsley Farm phase 2 (Redrow) planning application saga, was to commission a Consulting Engineer (W. S. Atkins) to look at potential improvements and it was this report that came up with these 5 alternatives. As far as I know the production of this report was as far as things got as HCC clearly have no funding for anything substantial. Option 4, which if I remember correctly was a possible link between the Headley Road and Longmoor Road, was always a non starter in any event as by that time Easterton and Taylor Wimpey already had detailed planning consent for the phase 1 development which any link Road would need to pass through. They would undoubtedly have sought significant compensation to effectively rip up their plans and start again. Ehdc actually turned down the phase 2 application the first time around partly for reasons related to traffic generation but after Easterton and Redrow appealed they were forced to climb down as they were advised that the appeal was likely to succeed based on the planning rules which would have left the council exposed to considerable costs.

Re: Utter chaos - Grape (13th Jan 2023 - 06:17:54) It's simple. More housing necessitate more roads, more roads allow for further housing, and so on...

Re: Utter chaos - Rob (13th Jan 2023 - 16:49:04) The lights are now gone

Re: Utter chaos - Resident (13th Jan 2023 - 18:25:08) Your wrong Grape we have already had hundreds of houses probably thousands but no improvements to our roads they are basically the same layout as when stage coaches came through. So this argument that roads bring more houses just doesn’t add up . The biggest problem is that our planners let houses be built without insisting on infrastructure to cope with the huge increase in traffic. Mr Miller has pointed out about the lowsley development I don’t agree with some of his statements. I was at the planning meeting when they got their permission to build the second phase the chairman before the meeting started handed out the 5 options for relief roads saying they were from HCC highways and that all speakers had time to study them before they spoke. All the speakers wanted that road put in and asked if land could be identified before giving permission. It was possible to fit it in around the site making much better for access to the development. Even the planning committee wanted to put off giving permission until a later date when something could have been sorted out but the chairman was having none of it he made them vote it through??? So I’m not in total agreement with Mr miller as the queen said memories differ .

Re: Utter chaos - Resident (13th Jan 2023 - 19:27:11) Forgot to say when they were told that the avenue liphook would become a rat run if the link road was not put in they had no idea where the avenue was give’s you confidence doesn’t it.

Re: Utter chaos - Joe (14th Jan 2023 - 04:32:30) Resident I was also at that meeting and all the road options in the report mentioned were only there as possibilities or suggestions from EHDC - the report was not commissioned by Hampshire Highways but a sum of money was spent by the developers of Oak Park in response to their planning obligations to put some money into the mitigation of extra traffic after the first phase was built. They first of all came up with a proposal to pedestrianise the square and take away some pavement,which was rejected. Steve Miller used to work or still does work for HCC so he has more knowledge on it than anyone else. As he quite rightly says Hampshire highways do not have the money to build new roads. They are encouraging people to walk instead.

Re: Utter chaos - M (14th Jan 2023 - 09:22:20) For those reading wondering what the options for roads where this is the report. bramshottandliphookndp.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Liphook-Phase-II-Transport-Feasibility-Study-Report-Final.pdf Joe you will see the reports (known as The Atkins Report locally) client was actually Hampshire County Council, not that that actually makes any difference. At the time HCC and EHDC could have demanded the Oak Park developer built the road with the planning permission (which HCC would have then adopted) but decided not to. Only recently have HCC decided they won't built any new roads (they call it their Green Agenda to combat climate change but we all know it's because they have no money) and we're all suppose to walk to work and school, but we all know that's not feasible and the motor car (beit internal combustion or electric) is here to stay for at least another 100 years!

Re: Utter chaos - Resident (14th Jan 2023 - 11:12:08) Thanks M I was about to look out the paper work. We all know that HCC were not going to build roads no one has said that . But the point is HCC realised that Liphook centre was becoming jammed with traffic so commissioned the report. The 5 options were suggested to be incorporated in any developments in the future. That’s were EHDC comes in they did not incorporate it in the lowsley development at that meeting that’s what the liphook people were up in arms about they wanted land set aside for the future when if possible the road could be put in . Also wimpy has made a lot of money out of liphook with their developments where has all their contributions gone along with other developers contributions all that money should have been spent on liphook infrastructure ie roads. .If you look at the Northcott plan they include a road if they get permission for housing. As said what’s the difference between the avenue becoming a link road and a road through the lowsley development?? . The avenue has two schools on it and is very narrow never designed for through traffic. EHDC need to get their planning up to date listen to the community.

Re: Utter chaos - Joe (14th Jan 2023 - 13:48:58) Resident the report was not commissioned because HCC realised Liphook was jammed with traffic. It was commissioned as a possible alternative to pedestrianising the square - why would HCC commission a report for new roads when they already knew at that time -as stated at the end of the report that there was no money forthcoming from them. The developers of Oak Park paid for the report it was their contribution to traffic problems because they were told some money had to go towards that. Although you may wish something to be true it does not make it a fact. If you read Steve Millers post again you will find the facts as he worked for Hampshire Highways and was at the meeting. He lives in Liphook too so has an interest. They have never agreed that Liphook is at a standstill they have suggested more walking to school etc.

Re: Utter chaos - Resident (14th Jan 2023 - 15:10:43) Your views Joe doesn’t mean we can agree because facts differ. I think the many people at the meeting saw it rather differently but there you go . It doesn’t mean that we don’t need relief roads if we carry on building housing estates without making access to the A3 without going through the square we may as well just all move out . And having lived here all my life that would be a catastrophe.

Re: Utter chaos - passfield resident (14th Jan 2023 - 16:28:17) It would be good to have some reliable information about the types of car journeys people are making in Liphook, especially at peak times, to see what proportion of people could use their cars less, including information on how many cars only have one or two passengers.

Re: Utter chaos - Helen (14th Jan 2023 - 17:43:51) I remember the heady days when the bypass was built and the excitement of losing the traffic through our lovely village centre, it didn’t last long once a huge supermarket was plonked in the middle and houses popped up everywhere. It also wasn’t that long ago that we had a cobble stone square that was quickly ripped up because it couldn’t cope with the traffic, nice idea whilst it lasted! Mistakes were made too long ago, we’ve built a rod for our own backs and it’s only going to get worse. There will be a park and ride soon probably…

Re: Utter chaos - Resident (14th Jan 2023 - 18:09:15) Passfield Resident I think that’s what the report was about and that was a long time ago. We have had more houses built since then. It’s not rocket science the square is taking an enormous amount of traffic a good portion is through traffic which needs to be diverted around the square. The bypass achieved that for a short while but now with bordon new town an enormous amount of traffic comes in from that area and seems to go to Haselmere why ?? . If the option road had been put in from headly road to longmoor road the headly road from the bridge could have been severely calmed local traffic only the rest would have been diverted to the A3 and up to hindhead for haselmere and south for Portsmouth. But it didn’t happen and we all no why . Now we are suffering the consequences as you have just seen this week traffic at a standstill because of traffic lights on the square highlighted the amount that passes through. If we go on like this that will be the norm.I personally wish someone would come up with a good solution.but the powers to be seem to shut their eyes to it .Having lived here all my life over 80 years and not seen anything done I’m not holding my breath.

Re: Utter chaos - Steve miller (14th Jan 2023 - 19:03:45) To avoid any confusion I should make clear that I have never worked for HCC. I did however have extensive dealings with the highways department (over a 3 year period) relating to the design and construction of the new roundabout on Longmoor Road which threatened to make access onto the road from our house downright dangerous. This prolonged dispute, which was eventually settled amicably, meant that I became very familiar with the various planning applications for the development of Lowsley Farm and particularly the traffic and highways issues.

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