Flood Alert from 9 April; valid until 16 April
Jackie Porter
Liberal Democrat Councillor, Charity Trustee and Campaigner Learn more
Flood Alert received 4 March 24 for The Worthys, Easton, Chilland and other areas
Popham proposal in Basingstoke Draft Plan
Flood Alert from 9 April; valid until 16 April
Flood Alert received 4 March 24 for The Worthys, Easton, Chilland and other areas
Popham proposal in Basingstoke Draft Plan
A33/B3047 Update: the Cart &Horses junction
by Jackie Porter on 28 April, 2023
I was extremely surprised to hear that the Conservative candidate is implying that a Lib Dem councillor had designed the junction.
There is no foundation to this, but most people will understand that qualified HCC Engineers design road layouts for HCC, not councillors!
I do know that on the 9th March, the County (at a Decision Day ) agreed to support the principle of changes junction at the Cart and Horses when M3 Junction 9 was altered- but that paper stated that any changes were ‘ subject to funding’. It was made clear in that paper that this funding was not 100% available at HCC and would have to be found from other sources too. I supported the principle of that paper. It was necessary so that all parties could add this into their ‘Statements of Common Ground’ with National Highways, in preparation for the M3 junction 9 works.
We local Lib Dem councillors and Parish councils continue to press for a meeting with Cllr. Nick King-Smith who has repeatedly said he won’t meet to talk about any changes until the Police Investigation Report comes out. We continue to ask for that report.
And so, last night at the Itchen Valley Annual Parish meeting this was raised again by the Parish Council Chairman. This is a matter which exercises local councils and was a question given with prior notice.
When the Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner was asked, ‘why has the Police Investigation Report taken so long? ‘, the Deputy Commissioner asked why HCC would even need that information before changes are made?
‘Its a county road after all,’ he said.
During his presentation, he repeated on several occasions for different contexts including speeding and in particular reference to this junction: ‘The County should deal with matters on county roads’
As local councillors, we decided not to make it a deep political issue during the election campaign as we considered it in bad taste, in respectful remembrance of the lady that died- but were intending to pick it up again after the Election Day.
I’d welcome your view on this.
I have also personally added this issue into the M3 Jn9 considerations for their inquiry, which takes place from late summer.
I wholeheartedly agree with the fact that this junction at Cart and Horses MUST be redesigned. It is simply dangerous with near misses (or hits) almost daily. There is more than enough room on the current carriageway to install two mini roundabouts, one for the Kingsworthy junction and the other at Itchen Abbas. There would be minimal construction work required, most of the changes could be dealt with by paint on the road, with appropriate signage. It is outrageous that HCC continue to ‘pass the buck’ on this one.