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Inset day traffic - Iwik61 (3rd Dec 2021 - 06:55:16) Surely liphook residents can put pressure on schools,highways ,council too change start times and/ or change the pelican pedestrian crossings in liphook Square. Weds with bohunt being off got thru the square in 5mins ,all because bohunt being off. Air quality must be off the scale when all schools are back,is there a air quality monitor close to the square to get the facts???

Re: Inset day traffic - Ian (3rd Dec 2021 - 08:47:20) Schools are part and parcel of Liphook life, get over yourself or move!

Re: Inset day traffic - Sam (3rd Dec 2021 - 09:41:59) Ahh, the classic "Because we've always done it that way"response! In my opinion the worst possible answer when questioning something. Even an incorrect justification at least shows some thought has been put into the response, and that other options have been considered. Based on that logic, maybe we should all go back to burning coal to heat our houses, as that's what was always done - until it wasn't. Maybe we should go back further, and all be serfs slaving away in the fields for the lord of the manor. Get rid of all this horrible change that has taken place in the last thousand years or so. Clearly no one is proposing to get rid of schools, but perhaps timings, methods of transport and other options could be looked at. Especially if it improves our environment and health. It might be that nothing could possibly be improved (seems unlikely) but at least knowing that after a review is better than just stubbornly sticking to what has been done previously with no thought.

Re: Inset day traffic - Iwik61 (3rd Dec 2021 - 10:25:00) Sam, That is exactly my point ,people go on about health but the air quality must be poor and with the children walking to school or even in a car the co2 and nitrogen must be high. Surely the first thing is too get a monster then the facts are there.With all the houses coming on stream in next 5 yrs surely this will only get worse,I know electric cars will come but sorry petrol and diesel will be around for years .

Re: Inset day traffic - Asta (3rd Dec 2021 - 10:37:18) @Ian - In one sentence shows all that is wrong with the world we live in. If we took that view things would never improve.

Re: Inset day traffic - Anon (3rd Dec 2021 - 11:26:39) There seems to be three times when it gets horribly busy, there’s the two around school start and finish times but a third around 4:45/5 pm which I’m assuming isn’t caused by schools. The constant stream of kids using the zebra crossing is a major sticking point, I’ve always thought an underpass would solve that but I’m sure many will say that can’t be done!

Re: Inset day traffic - A (3rd Dec 2021 - 12:11:25) Exactly anon. More footfall over the crossing will increase stationary traffic through the village waiting for the extra kids to cross 🤷🏻‍♀️ Thus cancelling out the benefits of less school traffic

Re: Inset day traffic - Don (3rd Dec 2021 - 12:29:01) A3 Ham Barn roundabout - morning and evening rush hours, especially Friday afternoon A3 Stag Hill - morning and evening rush hours Farnham by-pass - all time Wey Hill - rush hours and school runs To highlight just a few! Should we just all change our life/work/school patterns to pander to those inconvenienced by their overinflated sense of self entitlement

Re: Inset day traffic - Iwik61 (3rd Dec 2021 - 14:51:12) Don, Sort of hijacking thread really,national road bottlenecks are down to highways . Liphook Square is in some parts a local issue,are you happy that the kids are breathing all those fumes morning and evening. I asked is there a air moniter to actually find out how bad it is. Maybe I'm wrong .??The levels are not known but should be!!

Re: Inset day traffic - D (3rd Dec 2021 - 16:04:28) Iwik61, everywhere is like that at school start/stop times. I remember Liphook before the pelican crossings, totally unnecessary because, as now, the traffic was so slow crossing the A3 through Liphook was never a problem. I don't have a problem with the school run traffic myself but there again all my jobs have always been early start so I've never really noticed it. Surely as a motorist you are part of the problem and not the solution? Hopefully these inset days pertain to the recovery of lost school time last year.

Re: Inset day traffic - C (3rd Dec 2021 - 16:35:26) I have to say - having moved from Guildford, the traffic in Liphook is nowhere near as bad - even during rush hour. So just be grateful it's not worse than it is!

Re: Inset day traffic - Sam (3rd Dec 2021 - 20:39:34) This thread is a bit sad to read, it effectively reads like: Original post: "Maybe something in Liphook can be improved?" Responses: "If you don't like it move away!" "It's worse in X!" "It's always been bad!" "We can't possibly make things better, so let's not even try!" "It doesn't affect me, so I am fine with it, but you're selfish for wanting to change it!" I don't really understand it to be honest. Imagine if we never tried to improve anything, we'd still be living in the stone age. It's not like it is a particularly controversial opinion either, traffic is a problem, and if it was improved life would be better for all, those who use the local roads, and those who merely breath the local air.

Re: Inset day traffic - Local (3rd Dec 2021 - 21:28:10) I remember when kids walked to school 🤣🤣🤣🤣

Re: Inset day traffic - D (3rd Dec 2021 - 21:31:22) Sam, if as you say you don't really understand it should you be commenting?

Re: Inset day traffic - JP (4th Dec 2021 - 00:27:09) I'm surprised that D said the traffic was slow before the pelican crossing was built. As I remember it, there was nothing to stop all the A3 traffic from going straight through the village at 30mph without slowing down. The Pelican crossing outside Silks made a big difference.

Re: Inset day traffic - D (4th Dec 2021 - 08:50:13) JP, I am referring to going to school time, 08:15 to 09:00 approximately. Traffic was always slow going through Liphook at those times largely due to vehicles negotiating left hand turns past the Anchor Annex and the vehicles outside what used to be Messenger May waiting for petrol at the Anchor Garage. As you remember, the pumps were on the pavement which often resulted in A3 traffic having to slow to pass this stationary queue, it would only need three or four vehicles to tail out onto the A3. Traffic waiting to turn right onto Haslemere Road, Headley Road and Longmoor Road (at the time accessed from Headley Road) also had a great slowing effect. The traffic is no worse now than it was then, the only exception being coming up Longmoor Road, then turning right onto the top of Headley Road at the Anchor Annex in order to access the A3. Sorry for all this detail but I'm putting it all in to prove I was here at the time and not making it all up. But imagine what it would be like if we didn't have the bypass.

Re: Inset day traffic - Sarah (4th Dec 2021 - 10:15:29) I understand everything everyone is saying. You will also notice that traffic improves once the local private schools break up next week. It improves when the infant and junior schools are on inset day. It improves on certain days of the week when work traffic seems lighter (perhaps the newer phenomenon of favouring particular days to work from home). My worry is if, hypothetically (this is make believe, please don’t start arguing about it), you changed school start times to 8am to reduce traffic in the square, that vacuum would be filled by other traffic using Liphook to cut through because the traffic situation had improved. When the Greatham road to the A3 was closed for a week last month, the traffic in Liphook as people had to detour, was awful - but some of this traffic has now discovered Liphook as a quicker route to the A3 (from Bordon, Alton etc) and is now using it as a route. The same thing would happen if you removed the school traffic from rush hour in Liphook. The vacuum would be filled by something else, possibly worse traffic such as more lorries. Such non-local traffic might also have far less care for Liphook than local school traffic - as my children found during that week when traffic was diverted through Liphook and they found it very hard to cross the roads safely. I agree, the problem of the pedestrian crossing by the anchor has been a pinch point for many years and those of us who have lived here for many years have discussed what can be done. But sometimes you realise it actually isn’t so bad - yes we have to queue for a little while, but that very queuing of local traffic might just save Liphook from worse traffic as other cars currently avoid the area.

Re: Inset day traffic - Ian2 (4th Dec 2021 - 12:07:06) @Sarah, what a sensible articulate post, I assume you are not a talkback regular! Thank you for your balanced contribution

Re: Inset day traffic - Gr (4th Dec 2021 - 12:19:14) JP showing your age referring to thw shop as Silks

Re: Inset day traffic - D (4th Dec 2021 - 13:01:06) I remember Silks very well, nice to come across someone else who remembers it too. Those were the days when Liphook was a good community and we all knew each other. Despite the A3 going through town at the time I consider that era to be the best time to have lived in Liphook. Really happy days.

Re: Inset day traffic - Sam (4th Dec 2021 - 14:27:59) D - I don't understand the negativity, I understand the issue being discussed. I also appreciate and understand the irony of you misunderstanding my point (intentionally or otherwise), so at least there is one bit of humour in this thread. If you don't agree with the original post, why not enlighten us as to why you feel the current situation is the best option possibly achievable, and cannot be improved upon?

Re: Inset day traffic - Don (4th Dec 2021 - 14:47:42) Sam, why don't you come up with some practical and achievable solutions yourself? Try to move away from Utopia though, that doesn't exist and also remember there isn't a bottomless pit of money that can somehow be drawn upon

Re: Inset day traffic - Oldie (4th Dec 2021 - 15:13:08) Having lived here all my life apart from 5 years shipped of to grandads 1941 to 1946 because of Mr Hitler. Yes 40s 50s 60s fantastic place to live. Mr Dace the policeman used to stand in silks doorway in the evening and call out if you were up to mischief come here sonny I know your dad what have you been up to . Great memories. Getting back to the thread surely if something could be done to get traffic around the square it would be a good thing. HCC spent thousands up grading the square with flower beds ect ect . They said after the bypass was built there would be very little traffic through the square and their idea was to semi pedestrianised the square as it was a conservation area. Make it local traffic only. Well that was wishful thinking but it would be good if we could get the Through Traffic away from the square. It could be done with the correct planning but it seems the people in charge always just say we no best and dismiss all of the local people’s ideas. It’s so sad when this is the case because there have been a lot good ideas sidetracked and thrown out by just a few people in charge. I totally agree we MUST try and save our square and it’s HISTORY for the generation’s to come.Have a very good and healthy Christmas.

Re: Inset day traffic - er (4th Dec 2021 - 15:58:40) Anon, an underpass you say, sorry but I don't think that's realistic😂 I suppose the best thing we could do is not use our cars at rush hour or change our start times, but then I guess the problem is it should always be someone else who has to stop using their car or change their work times, I'm sure if we could we would, this is the countryside, not the city, there are not buses every 5 minutes going in every possible direction, so we have to drop our kids off at a certain time when the gates open then rush off in our cars to Bordon, Alton, Basingstoke or wherever in time to be at our desks by 9am, when our kids are old enough to go on their own there will be another lot coming through, solve that problem without butchering the Square and you win first prize for ingenuity!

Re: Inset day traffic - D (4th Dec 2021 - 16:17:53) Sam, if there is any negativity here, surely it is on the part of the original poster for suggesting the pedestrian crossings in the centre of town and school start times are "changed". All for the sake of one impatient motorist. I know the traffic is a bit of a fag in the mornings but it's only for an hour but children must go to school and parents must go to work but it's something we are going to have to agree to differ on JP, in hindsight yes, you are correct, it was possible to do thirty through Liphook without stopping before the pelican crossings and mini roundabouts were installed. The problems started when one car wanted to turn right then the queue soon built up. Remember the speed trap outside the rec? 😉

Re: Inset day traffic - Jane (4th Dec 2021 - 17:05:50) Surely if the zebra crossing in the square was replaced with a pelican crossing, the traffic would have a chance of flowing, all be it for a short while. Rather than the constant stream of schoolchildren crossing at the end of the school day resulting in the square grinding to a halt. There are pelican crossings elsewhere, why not here…?

Re: Inset day traffic - Aj (4th Dec 2021 - 17:37:15) Don't forget we have 2 other schools in liphook, Highfield and churchers, they add to the traffic as well.

Re: Inset day traffic - M (4th Dec 2021 - 18:16:34) Having lived here all my life....not that it means anything..... I personally have no problem with the current situation and plan my day accordingly... and yes I work and sometimes leave at peak time. Yes we have long queues at peak times (08.15-09.00 and 15.30-16.00) but surely we need to prioritise children walking to school and the zebra crossing makes it far easier for the children to cross quickly... and hopefully safely if car drivers pay attention ....and that surely should be the priority for all residents. Those that decide to drive their children to school, or drive to work at peak time, make a conscious decision to do so and have to suffer the consequences. If more children walked then their would be less traffic... but would that then mean more people would then decide to drive??? Leave it as it is, make your own decision if you decide to drive at peak time and leave yourself enough time to do so. Let the children have an easy walk to school!

Re: Inset day traffic - Anon (4th Dec 2021 - 18:50:59) Er-underpass, unrealistic and improbable but not impossible! How about a pedestrian only entrance to the school via the firs? I think the issue with a pelican crossing as oppose to the zebra is you can’t rely on kids to press the button, they’ll often nip across Willy nilly, so not safe. At least with the zebra you know you have to stop when they get near it. We should toll any non Liphook residents driving through the square ……!

Re: Inset day traffic - Pete (4th Dec 2021 - 21:45:57) Original post summary = I am more important than children's education, in fact I am more important than anything which might annoy me or interupt my day, but Ill throw a bit of the enviroment into my arguement to cover my tracks.

Re: Inset day traffic - Joe (4th Dec 2021 - 22:06:15) I wondered how long it would be before “ oldie” mentioned a by pass through the National Park generating yet more traffic and built by building thousands more houses. It is far easier to persuade staggered school start and departure times. ‘ save our square?’ It is not in danger of being blown up. It is far more important not to let it deteriorate with shabby ugly shop fronts and fascia’s.

Re: Inset day traffic - D (5th Dec 2021 - 02:10:16) Complaints about school traffic is a bread and butter issue on this website, but I never thought children would be criticised for merely walking across a zebra crossing. What despicable depths we have descended to.

Re: Inset day traffic - D (5th Dec 2021 - 08:10:02) Where is national park mentioned?

Re: Inset day traffic - Sarah (5th Dec 2021 - 10:02:48) I’ll repeat what I’ve said further up, but in a short way. Do people really think that if you take school traffic away, the vacuum won’t be filled by other traffic who suddenly find Liphook is a great short cut. That beautifully clear traffic run you envisage will just be full of people from elsewhere cutting through - more lorries etc. I would prefer to queue for a little while in local traffic who are more aware of the road layout, pinchpoints, safety of the schoolchildren. That local traffic discourages others from cutting through the village, because they know they have to queue. It really isn’t generally that bad. Annoying, but perfectly liveable with!

Re: Inset day traffic - Anon (5th Dec 2021 - 11:37:58) That vacuum is sort of what’s happened over the years post bypass so Sarah’s point could well be true if traffic flow improved. Access to the A3 from the headley road would have helped but seems wasn’t possible. Bring back the lollipop people!

Re: Inset day traffic - lac (8th Dec 2021 - 09:46:47) As someone who lived in Liphook before the new A3 bypass was built, I can assure you the traffic in Liphook was terrible. The old A3 went straight through the centre. There was no need for a pelican or level crossing as the traffic was stationery and you easily could walk between the cars. In modern times we now have the issue of the Liphook bottleneck. All local roads channel through the Square. Any detour takes many miles. The only solution is to take through traffic away from the square. This requires a coherent planning approach, which alas is impossible as the National Park boundary cuts right through Liphook (no building) and any changes to road routes requires more house building, which no one wants. My suggestion, as always, is to create off road bicycle paths on the various bridleways and go back to riding to school. It not only prevents congestion and pollution, it also gives back some freedom and independence to our young people.

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