Wednesday, 15 May 2013

In a move designed to encourage more people to use alternative ways of travel instead of their cars, four specially-trained travel planning advisors will be calling on residents in the Harestock, Teg Down and Weeke areas of Winchester until the end of August.

Aiming to offer travel information and advice to up to 3,200 households, the team of personal travel advisors will be asking people to consider their daily travel options for journeys and to try taking the bus, train, walking, cycling or car sharing instead of driving.

Research has shown that Hampshire residents are keen car users - above the national average. But with the rising cost of fuel and high volumes of traffic, many people are beginning to realise the savings and benefits to their health by taking the bus or cycling.

My Journey aims to make it easier for people to work out whether their local journey in the car can be made just as conveniently by bus, bike or by car-sharing instead. Following the success of the initiative in Basingstoke - where over a third of participating residents actively made a change to their travel routines - personalised travel advice is being offered directly to residents in the Harestock, Teg Down and Weeke areas of Winchester.

The travel planning advisors will provide tailored practical help and support to individual households, including offering incentives to tempt people out of their cars. Project partner Stagecoach South, for instance, is supplying one week bus passes for people who have not tried using public transport in the Winchester area, so they can test the benefits of using local bus services for themselves.

A new Winchester cycle map has been produced and the travel planning advisors will have copies available to give to those keen to try cycling. The travel planners will also have up to date bus and train timetables and information about car- sharing to leave with householders.

For more details about the Personal Travel Planning work being delivered in Winchester visit 'My Journey' Hampshire. The website also offers a one-stop shop for advice about the different options for travelling in Hampshire. Details of local events such as leisure cycle rides together with special offers and competitions can also be found on the web pages.

The 'My Journey' campaign is funded by the Department for Transport's Local Sustainable Transport Fund. The objectives of the Government's fund are to reduce congestion at peak times, and to reduce carbon and greenhouse gas emissions. These objectives will be met at a local level, through 'My Journey' initiatives to encourage less use of the private car and a more active lifestyle by encouraging walking, cycling, use of public transport or car sharing to travel around, particularly for local journeys.

• 'My Journey' Hampshire

Tuesday, 14 May 2013

In a move designed to encourage more people to make use of alternative travel choices, six specially-trained travel planning advisors will be calling on residents in the Brighton Hill and Hatch Warren areas of Basingstoke until the end of August.

Aiming to offer travel information and advice to up to 5,300 households, the team of personal travel advisors will be asking people to consider their daily travel options for journeys and to try taking the bus, train, walking, cycling or car sharing instead of driving.

Research has shown that Hampshire residents are keen car users - above the national average. But with the rising cost of fuel and high volumes of traffic, many people are beginning to realise the savings and benefits to their health by taking the bus or cycling.

My Journey aims to make it easier for people to work out whether their local journey in the car can be made just as conveniently by bus, bike or by car -sharing instead. Following the success of the initiative in Chineham and Popley - where over a third of participating residents actively made a change to their travel routines - personalised travel advice is being offered directly to residents in the Brighton Hill and Hatch Warren areas of Basingstoke.

The travel planning advisors will provide tailored practical help and support to individual households, including offering incentives to tempt people to try alternative ways of making local journeys. Project partner Stagecoach South, for instance, is supplying one week bus passes for people who have not tried using public transport in the Basingstoke area, so they can test the benefits of using the Jazz 1, Jazz 7 and Jazz 8 services for themselves.

Travel planning advisors will have copies of the Basingstoke Cycle Map available to give to those keen to try cycling. The travel planners will also have up to date bus and train timetables and information about car- sharing to leave with householders.

For more details about the Personal Travel Planning work being delivered in Basingstoke visit 'My Journey Hampshire'. The website also offers a one-stop shop for advice about the different options for travelling in Hampshire. Details of local events such as leisure cycle rides together with special offers and competitions can also be found on the web pages.

The 'My Journey' campaign is funded by the Department for Transport's Local Sustainable Transport Fund. The objectives of the Government's fund are to reduce congestion at peak times, and to reduce carbon and greenhouse gas emissions. These objectives will be met at a local level, through 'My Journey' initiatives to encourage less use of the private car and a more active lifestyle by encouraging walking, cycling, use of public transport or car sharing to travel around, particularly for local journeys.

• Workplace Travel Planning

Friday, 10 May 2013

Hampshire County Council and Test Valley Borough Council are pleased to confirm that contractors are to start work on Andover Bus Station from next week (beginning 13 May 2013).

Also, during that week, two unused bus shelters in Andover will be relocated to provide temporary bus stops in West Street. A new shelter has been ordered, to be installed between the three temporary stops on Western Avenue in June.

Transport capital funding of £2.9 million is being invested to extend and refurbish the bus station. The finance will come from contributions from developers responsible for major commercial and housing construction schemes in the area, as part of their planning agreements to improve facilities for bus passengers. This is in addition to the junction and highway improvements being carried out to support these developments.

Redevelopment of the bus station is an integral part of the Andover Town Access Plan. In developing the Plan, it was recognised that the bus station's capacity would need to be expanded to cope with the anticipated increase in the number of passengers and buses from the major development areas of East Anton, Picket Twenty and Andover Airfield.

The new facilities will provide the following benefits:

• additional space for buses and coaches;
• an enclosed waiting and internal seating area;
• a café;
• a Shopmobility facility to enable people with restricted mobility to hire mobility scooters or wheelchairs;
• office accommodation for the bus operator including an enquiries desk;
• office accommodation for Test Valley Community Services;
• and electronic passenger information systems.

Work will take approximately 12 months to complete and although the bus station will be closed during this time, the pedestrian walkway into the Chantry Centre will be maintained while work is underway.

Test Valley Borough Council and Friends Life plc will retain ownership of the bus station and Stagecoach will be the principal bus provider operating out of the bus station.

• Public, Community and School Transport

Wednesday, 08 May 2013

Businesses across south Hampshire are being invited to compete in the 'My Journey' Commuter Challenge by completing their daily commute using alternative ways to travel other than the private car.

The challenge is part of Hampshire County and Portsmouth and Southampton City Councils' 'My Journey' campaign and is being organised by Sustrans, a leading national charity which encourages and enables sustainable travel for residents in the UK.

Participants will be encouraged to try cycling, walking, using public transport or car-sharing to get to and from their place of work, in a bid to reduce congestion in Hampshire and encourage a more active lifestyle. Businesses and their employees will be invited to compete in group and personal challenges throughout May.

By recording online how they travelled to work, those who take part in the challenge have the opportunity to win one of a number of weekly awards such as passes for free bus, rail, hover and ferry travel, theatre tickets, and entry to a wide range of Hampshire attractions.

Eligible journeys for the Commuter Challenge start at one mile in length, the equivalent of just 20 minutes walking or 10 minutes by bicycle.

The 'My Journey' campaign has been developed by Hampshire County Council, Southampton City Council and Portsmouth City Council and is funded by a successful bid to the Department for Transport for Local Sustainable Transport Fund monies. The objectives of the Government's fund are to reduce congestion at peak times, and to reduce carbon and greenhouse gas emissions. These objectives will be met at a local level, through 'My Journey' initiatives to encourage less use of the private car and a more active lifestyle by encouraging walking, cycling, use of public transport or car sharing to travel around, particularly for local journeys.

• Businesses, groups or individuals can sign up to take part in the Commuter Challenge

Tuesday, 07 May 2013

In a move designed to encourage more people to make use of alternative travel choices, eight specially-trained travel planning advisors will be calling on residents in the Bridgemary, Brockhurst, Camdentown and Ann's Hill areas of Gosport until the end of August.

Aiming to offer travel information and advice to up to 7,800 households, the team of personal travel advisors will be asking people to consider their daily travel options for journeys and to try taking the bus, train, walking, cycling or car sharing instead of driving.

Research has shown that Hampshire residents are keen car users - above the national average. But with the rising cost of fuel and high volumes of traffic, many people are beginning to realise the savings and benefits to their health by taking the bus or cycling.

My Journey aims to make it easier for people to work out whether their local journey in the car can be made just as conveniently by bus, bike or by car -sharing instead. Following the success of the initiative in Basingstoke - where over a third of participating residents actively made a change to their travel routines - personalised travel advice is being offered directly to residents in the Bridgemary, Brockhurst, Camdentown and Ann's Hill areas of Gosport.

The travel planning advisors will provide tailored practical help and support to individual households, including offering incentives to tempt people to try alternative ways of making local journeys. Project partners First Group and Gosport Ferry, for instance, are supplying one day and one week bus and ferry passes for people in the Gosport area who have not tried using public transport, so they can test the benefits of using the E1 and E2 Eclipse Bus Rapid Transit services and the ferry link to Portsmouth for themselves.

A new Gosport cycle map has been produced and the travel planning advisors will have copies available to give to those keen to try cycling. The travel planners will also have up to date bus and ferry timetables and information about car- sharing to leave with householders.

For more details about the Personal Travel Planning work being delivered in Gosport visit myjourneyhampshire.com The website also offers a one-stop shop for advice about the different options for travelling in Hampshire. Details of local events such as leisure cycle rides together with special offers and competitions can also be found on the web pages.

The 'My Journey' campaign is funded by the Department for Transport's Local Sustainable Transport Fund. The objectives of the Government's fund are to reduce congestion at peak times, and to reduce carbon and greenhouse gas emissions. These objectives will be met at a local level, through 'My Journey' initiatives to encourage less use of the private car and a more active lifestyle by encouraging walking, cycling, use of public transport or car sharing to travel around, particularly for local journeys.

• My Journey Hampshire

Tuesday, 07 May 2013

In the past two months, Havant's community bus service - Call & Go - has attracted 165 new regular passengers but its operators, Community First HEH, say there is still room for more.

Havant Call and Go (formerly Havant Dial a Ride) is a flexible bus service which can pick people up from their home address and take them wherever they need to go within the service area. Operating across the borough of Havant, as well as Horndean, Clanfield and Rowlands Castle, the service operates on five days of the week - Monday, Tuesday Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. Additionally, the Call & Go service includes a journey to and from Commercial Road in Portsmouth on Tuesdays and Saturdays.

For many passengers the service is a lifeline to get out and about and is used by them to get to the shops, health centres, to visit friends and relatives or to go to leisure centres. The vehicles used have low-adapted floors so they are ideal for use by passengers who use wheelchairs.

Mrs Sue Tucker is a regular user of the service and like so many other passengers, relies on the Havant Call and Go to get her to the shops and to visit her family. She said: "It's become part of my life." Mrs Yvonne Hogarth, who has been using the service since it began, really values the independence and social aspect that the service offers her, commenting "You meet up with different people and have a chat. It just lifts you mentally. Just to get out, that in itself, means so much". She was also full of praise for the drivers who, she said "are always so helpful".

Passengers do need to register for the service but there is no charge to do so. Fares range from £1.65 to £4.70.Those who have a concessionary fare bus pass are eligible to use the service at half price. For more information about the service and to request an application form to join the scheme, please contact Hampshire County Council on 0845 602 4135.

The service is jointly funded by Hampshire County Council, Havant Borough Council and East Hampshire District Council.

• Call & Go service

Tuesday, 07 May 2013

School children are being invited to nominate their 'diamond' lollipop person as Hampshire's School Crossing Patrol of the Year 2013.

In nominating who they think should win, children are being asked to get creative by sending in a poem, drawing or a story illustrating why their school crossing patrol is a real diamond.

Hampshire County Council has 262 school crossing patrols who help children cross roads every morning and afternoon during term time. This year marks 60 years of the school crossing patrol service nationally, making 2013 its Diamond Anniversay.

From all the nominations received, one finalist will be chosen from each of the 11 boroughs and districts across Hampshire. The finalists will be invited to a special awards ceremony on 10 July, to be held in Winchester, where the overall winner will be announced and presented with their award.

The winner will also be presented with £500 worth of IKEA vouchers donated by the Southampton store. Each of the 11 finalists will be presented with bespoke fleeces and the children who submit the winning entry for each finalist will receive a road safety goody bag.

The school whose lollipop person is crowned School Crossing Patrol of the Year 2013 will win a Street Feet kit courtesy of Fox Oilskins. The kit is designed to help children practice crossing the road safely while being in a safe environment. The school will also win an environmental tour of IKEA for the class of the pupil's winning nomination.

All those who nominate a school crossing person will be presented with a fluorescent zipper courtesy of Heart FM.

The closing date for entries is Friday 24 May

• Vote for Hampshire's top school crossing patrol

Thursday, 18 April 2013

Work will start on 22 April, on a £1.5 million scheme to make the Alençon Link in Basingstoke easier and safer for everyone to use, as well as making the entrance to the town centre more attractive.

The main focus of the improvement plans is to create an open, more attractive environment with an avenue of new trees planted and an overgrown bank on the north side removed, providing more natural light for a new, shared use pedestrian and cycle path.

The new path will make for easier access to the town centre, with better footways on the south side and the replacement of the existing subway with a signal controlled, pedestrian crossing at road level. This will be between the Chapel Hill roundabout and the exit ramp from The Malls car park, making it easier for pedestrians and cyclists to cross the road. These are further to the improvements already undertaken on the Alençon Link, following those at The Malls, the rail station and bus stops.

The developer funded scheme is expected to be completed by the end of November. During the construction period, the Alençon Link will operate as a one-way street between Chapel Hill Roundabout and Victory Roundabout, and there will be signed diversion routes in operation.

The County Council took into account people's concerns about the Alençon Link during consultation for the Town Access Plan. A number of people commented that they did not feel that it was a safe route into the town. These views and others were important in shaping the final design for the Alençon Link improvements scheme.

Owing to the scale of work involved, the County Council has warned that there will be some inevitable disruption during the construction period but it has ensured that the traffic management arrangements keep the impact of this to a minimum. The County Council's advice is to allow extra time for journeys, particularly at peak hours of travel.

• Alencon Link Accessibility Improvements

Monday, 15 April 2013

Highway improvement works on Romsey's Cupernham Lane/Winchester Hill Junction to install traffic signals now looks set to be completed in early July.

A new drainage system is an integral element of the works and parts of this have been re-designed to accommodate un-mapped underground services that engineers found once site works were underway and excavations began. These services had not been declared or shown on responses from utility companies, when the original design work took place These uncharted services also complicated the construction of the retaining walls on Winchester Hill. Hampshire County Council and the developer's contractor have acted swiftly and worked hard to keep disruption to the progress of the scheme to a minimum meaning that the road closure in Cupernham Lane needs only to be extended by up to one week, until 14 May.

The scheme is part of a package of measures designed to manage the impact of additional traffic from the Abbottswood development which should benefit all road users in Romsey by helping to maintain the flow of traffic through the area

The junction works are necessary as part of the Abbottswood Major Development Area (MDA) planning conditions and are being funded and implemented by the Abbottswood Consortium under licence from Hampshire County Council.

• Roadworks and road maintenance

Friday, 12 April 2013

A new road safety THINK! Campaign, supported by Hampshire County Council and Hampshire Constabulary, calls on drivers and cyclists to stay safe by looking out for each other. The campaign highlights the common ground between cyclist and driver and gives advice and tips on staying safe, visible and alert on the road.

Over the last five years 760 cyclists have been killed or seriously injured on roads in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. The new safety campaign is based on the premise that cyclists and drivers are often one and the same, as 80% of cyclists hold a driving licence and one in five drivers cycle at least once a month. In support of this, buses across the county will display the slogan:

'Let's look out for each other. Drivers and cyclists are more alike than you think.'

Stuart Jarvis, Director of Environment, Transport and Economy at Hampshire County Council said:

"Although there are sometimes differences of opinion between cyclists and drivers this campaign encourages mutual respect to make Hampshire's roads safer for all, by driving or cycling responsibly."

Sergeant Darren Ord, of Hampshire Constabulary's Roads Policing Unit said: "When we talk about cycle safety with road users, we often find there's a 'them and us' attitude between drivers and cyclists, despite that fact that most of them at one time or another do both.

"The campaign is simply about mutual respect, for cyclists to make themselves as visible as possible so they have less chance of being injured and for drivers to simply keep their eyes peeled for cyclists.

"It's not about blaming any particular group for collisions on our roads, it's about everyone taking responsibility to look out for each other."

Gosport Discovery Centre will be hosting a 'Let's look out for each other' information stand throughout May. A staffed drop-in session on Tuesday 21 May 2013 between 10am and 3pm will be able to provide answers to questions the public may have on cycle safety.

THINK! advice for when you're driving

• Look out for cyclists, especially when turning - make eye contact if possible so they know you've seen them
• Use your indicators - signal your intentions so that cyclists can react
• Give cyclists space - at least half a car's width. If there isn't sufficient space to pass, hold back. Remember that cyclists may need to manoeuvre suddenly if the road is poor, it's windy or if a car door is opened
• Always check for cyclists when you open your car door
• Avoid driving over advanced stop lines - these allow cyclists to get to the front and increase their visibility
• Follow the Highway Code including 'stop' and 'give way' signs and traffic lights

THINK! advice for when you're cycling

• Ride positively, decisively and well clear of the kerb - look and signal to show drivers what you plan to do and make eye contact where possible so you know drivers have seen you
• Avoid riding up the inside of large vehicles, like lorries or buses, where you might not be seen
• Always use lights after dark or when visibility is poor
• Wearing light coloured or reflective clothing during the day and reflective clothing and/or accessories in the dark increases your visibility
• Follow the Highway Code including observing 'stop' and 'give way' signs and traffic lights

• Further information

Wednesday, 27 March 2013

Work has started on a scheme designed to improve access to local facilities, helping to support the local economy.

For ten weeks, from 25 March, Hampshire County Council will undertake work to improve the busy local centre in the Crossways area on Forton Road. Responding to local priorities, the work will make the environment more attractive for local residents and encourage greater use of local shops and services.

The work includes:

• widening the pavement between White's Place car park and Lees Lane, next to the shops and laying new improved surfacing up to, and including, the White's Place bus stop
• installing new and more attractive guard railing at the edge of the pavement near the Lees Lane North junction
• improving the setting of the historic St John's Church and helping community activity to take place more safely alongside the main road, by re-aligning the pavement at the front of St John's Church and installing brick pillars and railings at the pavement edge to define the church boundary and separate the lay-by.

Rocon Contractors Ltd has been appointed to carry out the work on behalf of Hampshire County Council. During construction, access to all properties and shops will be maintained and there are no planned road closures. Access in and out of White's car park may be restricted at times to allow for resurfacing work to be completed. Similarly, sections of the pavements in front of the shops and the church will also be restricted at times to enable new paving to be laid. In view of this Hampshire County Council is advising residents affected by the works to allow extra time for their journeys.