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Liberal Democrat Councillor, Charity Trustee and Campaigner Learn more
by Jackie Porter on 19 November, 2020
‘Operation Transmission’
As a result of the UK leaving the EU at 11pm on the 31st December, Hampshire County Council Local Resilience Forum (Emergency planning) is making preparations to ensure there is a smooth flow of freight traffic to and through the ports.
This affects us here, because the A31 will be a site for checking paperwork before the HGV’s set off on the final part of their journeys to Portsmouth. (My understanding is that Southampton has capacity to cope with overflow: Portsmouth does not.)There is a specific page on the hants.gov.uk website to see more, including the plan.
https://www.hants.gov.uk/transport/transportschemes/a31winchesterandalresford#step-4
I have asked for a specific briefing for you– but meanwhile, if you have any questions, please use the contact details on the link, but also please, write to me. I hope that I can share answers in the form of an FAQ by early December absolute latest. The ‘Operation Transmission’ plan will be operational from 12 noon on the 31st December, ready for the first boat out at 2330hrs from Portsmouth.
Some points not on the plan (point 2) is that all traffic will be running at 30mph, at least between the Ladycroft roundabout and the Percy Hobbs Roundabout. This will be significantly slower than your normal journey speed- and I ask you to advertise this email direct to residents if you can. I have also copied in Pete Robinson at Stagecoach because this will affect buses too.There is also likely to be local traffic using the single track lanes which they did not use before- but as of today, I have no information about the arrangements on the side roads- but hope to see this in the next few days.
Although hauliers have been contacted and met online, local businesses have not. I have asked for them to be contacted too, but please use your local relationships to inform the A31 users.The County does not expect this to affect local residents unduly. I strongly disagree. I hope that this advance notice will mean our residents are at least informed.
You will be interested to know that HCC are being paid £2.5m of the estimated cost of the £3.8m expected cost of this operation for an expected 12 week programme.
Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you’d like to talk this through
Hello Jackie, we at Orr’s Meadow on the Alresford Road will be directly and negatively affected by this HGV park. We are a group of eight households on this side of the A31 who will be subjected to regular noise, light and litter pollution. Our house is the closest to the road, and ours and our daughters bedrooms are only 10 meters away from the road. In addition, my two children use the 64 bus to get to and from Perins School each day. How will the bus service run, and how do I know that my children will be able to safely use the bus stop and cross the roads both ways? These plans and their lack of clarity and concern for local residents are causing us stress and anxiety. We have had, as usual, no direct contact about this stage of the plan from either Hampshire County Council or Hampshire Highways.