HCC Traffic Calming Measures
LATEST - Jan 2022
Key Information on the Wallops Traffic Calming Scheme Consultation
Following lots of work up to 2016, Hampshire County Council (HCC) put a plan to the parishes of Over Wallop and Nether Wallop to introduce traffic calming. The aim of this plan was to reduce traffic and speed on both Salisbury Lane and Station Road.
This plan included three elements:
1. Changing the junction at Grateley Station to direct traffic away from Wallop Road/Station Road
2. The closure of Salisbury Lane, including building of turning circles
3. Traffic calming on Station Road, between the junction with the A343 and Salisbury Lane
In the 2016 Public Consultation, 164 responses were received. 103 supported the scheme; 43 against, 4 don’t know and 11 no response. 52% of respondents supported the closure of Salisbury Lane. 129 also supported traffic calming on the northern part of Station Road (north of the junction with Salisbury Lane)
Subsequently:
• HCC removed the change in the road junction at Grateley Station from the plan (ie. item 1 above)
• The project was adjusted to include a pilot, with temporary restrictions being imposed and then evaluated and the changes being made permanent if the pilot is considered to be a success (see below)
• The project stalled, initially with discussions being held within HCC through to 2020 and subsequently due to the challenge of finding a place for turning circles in Salisbury Lane
The current position is:
• HCC now has a plan that encompasses only items 2 and 3 (the closure of Salisbury Lane and the introduction of traffic calming in Station Road, without the change in the Wallop Road/Old Stockbridge Road junction).
• The plan (items 2 and 3) is now proceeding and could be approved by HCC on 27 January 2022
• HCC acknowledges that under the revised plan, traffic in Station Road is likely to increase as a net result of the scheme even with the traffic calming.
• HCC cannot consider any changes to the scheme, stating that “due to limited resources, the County Council is not able to offer the development of future traffic management schemes”
• Based on latest estimates, the cost to deliver the pilot will be £282,000, predominantly involving the building of the turning circles in Salisbury Lane. If the pilot was considered a failure, this money would not be available for any further traffic calming measures.
The Parish Councils of Over and Nether Wallop have:
• received many comments from those on Salisbury Lane that closure needs to happen, for fear of a fatality and to improve the lives of all those living on Salisbury Lane
• received many comments from those on Station Road that the scheme would merely increase the problem for Station Road residents, again increasing the risk of a fatality
• requested confirmation of what is considered to be "a success" for the pilot. HCC has said that “success” would be slower traffic on Station Road. No traffic volume target is included in the success criteria
All Over and Nether Wallop parishioners are now being consulted on whether the funds should be deployed onto this revised scheme, involving:
• the closure of Salisbury Lane
• the introduction of temporary traffic calming measures in Station Road and
• success of the pilot being a slower average speed of traffic passing along Station Road than before the pilot (with no measure of traffic volume).
This consultation will be "taken into account" by HCC, but is not determinative.
More details on the scheme and the history to date is available here: Traffic Calming (overwallopparishcouncil.org.uk), as well as on Hampshire County Council website here. Over Wallop traffic calming proposals | Transport and roads | Hampshire County Council (hants.gov.uk)
We are asking you to tell HCC your views on this scheme. The results are not binding.
We need your name and address to ensure the security of the comments received. You will only be able to comment once. No names will be linked to comments or votes.