Tag Archives: Haslemere

Haslemere Resurfacing – Blackdown Lane & The Common

Please find information for the resurfacing work on Blackdown Lane & The Common, Haslemere. Residents’ letters are due to be delivered 5th May 2016.

NB Blackdown Lane
The works are scheduled to start on 19th May 2016. Sometimes the council’s plans have to change, often due to bad weather or problems on other works in the Horizon Programme which can have a knock on effect.

You can also find up to date details of the works on www.surreycc.gov.uk/roadworks

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact the council on 0300 200 1003 or email works.communication@surreycc.gov.uk.

Haslemere’s Town Crier Competition

Today was Haslemere’s Charter Fair. The Charter Fair is organised by a group of volunteers from Haslemere and surrounding villages and has been running every 2 years since it was reinstated in 1984.

I was asked by Christian Ashdown, Haslemere’s Town Crier, to be one of the judges for the 2016 Town Crier Competition. Town Criers competed for the ‘Tennyson Trophy’, which is a dramatic bronze statue of a 17th Lancer of the Light Brigade – a famous military action immortalised in Alfred Lord Tennyson’s poem ‘The Charge of the Light Brigade’.

Haslemere's Town Crier, Christian Ashdown

Haslemere’s Town Crier, Christian Ashdown – @haslemeretowncr

The competition had two rounds: Home Cry & Military Blunders. It was held in the grounds of Haslemere Museum. The beautiful topiary planters on the stage will soon be adorning Wey Hill, as part of the Wey Hill in Bloom scheme,

Here are some pictures of the competition:

Winner - Best Dressed Town Crier - @rbwmtowncrier

Winner – Best Dressed Town Crier – @rbwmtowncrier

Best Dressed Consort Presentation

Best Dressed Consort Presentation

Presentation to the 2016 winner - Lichfield's Town Crier

Presentation to the 2016 winner – Lichfield’s Town Crier

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P1020235 (2)

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Temporary Prohibition of Traffic – Haste Hill Haslemere – 4th April 2016

Notice from Surrey County Council’s Local Highways Services team.

I write to inform you of the above temporary prohibition, the effect of which will be to temporarily prohibit vehicles from entering or proceeding in that length of (D5524) Haste Hill, Haslemere that extends from (D5527) Blackdown Lane to its junction with the northern leg of (D5524) Scotland Lane.

This Order is required to enable Optimise (Water) LLP to repair a leak in the nearby reservoir and shall come into operation on 4th April 2016 for a period of six months. These works are anticipated to be carried out from 4th April 2016 to 15th June 2016 during the hours of 07.30hrs and 17.00hrs on weekdays and 08.00hrs and 13.00hrs on Saturdays. The closure will stay in force for 24 hours and will not be lifted however advanced warning signs will be displayed and the temporary closure will only operate when the relevant traffic signs are displayed.

Access will be maintained for pedestrians only. Access will be maintained for emergency vehicles, residents and businesses via the signed diversion route however no sole means of property access will be affected by this temporary road closure.

Vehicular traffic will be diverted via Haste Hill, Petworth Road, Lower Street, Shepherds Hill, Midhurst Road and Scotland Lane or this route in reverse order.

County Councillor Update for Haslemere Q1 2016

March 13, 2016: Surrey County Councillor Update:

MEETINGS ATTENDED SINCE MY LAST UPDATE ( Last full summary was Jan 19, 2016 here.)

Jan 26th, 2016: Attended Economic Prosperity, Environment and Highways Board:  Agenda here. At the meeting, in response to a resident experience survey, I raised my concerns about the Local Area Committee, how it functions, and the need for it to be more user friendly.

Subsequently met with SCC’s Community Partnership Team to discuss (March 7th, 2016). My key concerns: public not clear about purpose and function of LAC, distinction between public and private meeting. LAC is a private committee meeting held in public, should be more of a conversation with residents- too restrictive in terms of discussion, officers’ expertise not always fully used, suggest chair should rotate- current chair in post for 6 years, more use of social media before, during and after meetings.

9th February 2016: Attended Full Council: Agenda here.

In this meeting SCC discussed budgets for 2016/2017 to 2020/2021. Here is a press statement from the independent councillors and residents’ association councillors for Surrey County Council. Also, you may be interested to read my colleague, Eber Kington’s Budget Statement during the meeting.

March 10th, 2016: Attended Economic Prosperity, Environment and Highways Board: Agenda here.  In the meeting, there was a Project Horizon Year 4 discussion. I raised the issue of Blackdown Lane that due to an administrative error was not completed as agreed in the Year 3 program. The Project Horizon team confirmed that Blackdown Lane is on the Year 4 program, a date to be confirmed as due to severe central government grant cuts to SCC the final highways budget has not been settled.

March 15th, 2016: Attended Full Council. Agenda here.

OTHER MEETINGS HAVE INCLUDED:

Local Area Committee (LAC) – Community Engagement meeting: how to make Local Area Committee more accessible.

March 3rd, 2016 LAC Private meeting, Farnham:  Agenda items included SCC schools and SureStart Centres

David Hodge, Leader of SCC: Private meeting

Haslemere Conservation Area Appraisal, steering committee meeting, Haslemere Town Council

Had several meetings with SCC Highways team in Merrow

Attended Southwest Trains stakeholder conference, Basingstoke. Working with SWT/SCC/Station Travel Plan. (More below)

NEXT WAVERLEY LOCAL AREA COMMITTEE MEETING:

Friday, 18 March 2016 1.30 pm, Godalming Baptist Church, Queen Street, Godalming GU7 1BA: Agenda here. You can follow local committee updates here on Twitter and here on the web.

LOCAL MEETINGS

The Haslemere Station Community Partnership has now formally established, via a legal agreement with South West Trains (SWT). Haslemere station is the main transport hub in the town, with over 1.3 million passenger journeys/year. The aim of the partnership, to improve the look of the station with planting, and better signage and also to use the station as a ‘gateway’ to promote Haslemere, its events, community assets, businesses and the wonderful surrounding countryside to both visitors and residents.

NB Station Shop

To date the partnership includes: South West Trains, Surrey County Council, Haslemere Town Council, Haslemere Visitor Information Centre, South Downs National Park Authority, Haslemere Chamber of Trade, Haslemere Fringe, Haslemere Vision and the National Trust. SWT community stakeholder team has match funded any contributions made by partners- to date SWT have awarded £5000, I have awarded £1200 from my SCC Members Allocation.

The station community partnership has been granted a short term lease on the vacant shop at the station. The plan is to create a Haslemere community information point. A team of volunteers, headed by Ken Griffiths has transformed the shop and a launch is planned in the next couple of weeks.

Visual of station shop

Visual of station shop

Haslemere Train Station: I’ve had several meetings with SWT engineers/arboriculture team to discuss the removal of all vegetation along the car park boundary in preparation for the additional deck at the car park. I have been working closely with SWT, pressing for maximum screening to reduce the visual impact of the metal structure. SWT have agreed to plant a screening hedge, with some specimen trees- although behind the current bus layby the pilings for the new structure will be too close to the pavement edge, so no planting will be possible. I am investigating whether a cantilevered, lit shelter would be possible along this section to provide a dry pick up and drop off area for train and bus passengers.

In response to a number of resident inquiries, SWT requires no planning permission for the car park, planning permission is deemed granted by virtue of Part 8 of the GPDO (2015).

I wrote about parking at the station here earlier this year.

St Ives School: Year 5, girls very concerned about litter, and the negative impact on the environment. Accompanied year 5 girls on Lion Green, as they picked up several sacks of litter as part of ‘Clean for the Queen’ initiative. I was impressed by how much they cared about their town, and the environment, how well informed they were and how much they wanted to do something to make a difference.

NB Clean For The QueenSure Start Play Bus, Woolmer Hill, met with local mums and tots on the bus. Sure Start Centre provides excellent support for parents and early years children.

NB SureStartBusHaslemere Society steering group meeting – presentation inviting Haslemere Society  to join the Haslemere Station Community Rail Partnership

Haslemere Station Travel Plan: Haslemere Station Travel Plan: Surrey County Council, in partnership with Haslemere Vision has commissioned a Station Travel Plan with the aim of understanding how people get to and from the station, the issues all users of the station experience, and to identify barriers to accessing the station without the use of a private car. A survey of train users, non-train users, local businesses and other key community stakeholders has been carried out. There was a very high survey response rate, over 1600 responses – all data is currently being processed. Two concluding workshops will be held on March 22nd, 2016 in the Georgian House Hotel. I will publish the final report including all recommendations on this site.

PRESS MEETINGS

Interviewed by BBC Surrey regarding council budget cuts on 3rd February.

Interviewed by BBC Surrey re Shepherds Hill sink hole on 2nd March

COMMUNITY UPDATES

Members’ Allocation for Haslemere:

Here is a final list of recipients for my annual spend

  • Waverley Borough Council: Waverley Skatepark Engagement 2015 –  £300.00
  • Haslemere Table Tennis Club: Woolmer Hill Table Tennis Centre – £1,500.00
  • Haslemere Basketball Club, Setting up a new team in Haslemere – £825.00
  • 1st Haslemere Scouts: Equipment and Storage – £1,105.00
  • Shottermill Junior School: Library Refurbishment Project – £800.00
  • Haslemere Station Comm Partnership: Community Partnership – £1,200.00
  • Haslemere Swimming Club: Training Equipment – £550.00
  • Crossways Counselling Service: Counselling Workshops – £1,300.00
  • Girlguiding, Girlguiding: LaSER South Korea 2016 – £450.00
  • Woolmer Hill School: Community Orchestra Day & Young Musician Evening – £680.00
  • The Wave: Family Fun Day – £600.00
  • Haslemere CAB: Enhancement to Services – £986.00

GENERAL UPDATES

Sandrock. New lighting columns are now installed and connected to electricity.

NB Sandrock photo

Shepherds Hill sink hole repaired. Updates were here and here and also on my Facebook page and Twitter feed. Thanks again to all for their patience whilst the works and investigations were carried out.

Lion Lane Post Office Update. I received this letter from the Post Office about the closure of their operation in the former Coop, now M&S, supermarket in Lion Lane.

NB PO Letter (click on image to enlarge)

South Downs NPA Volunteering Opportunities Map – which enables organisations with volunteer opportunities to promote these opportunities to a wider audience. Here is a link to their website and map.

LittleLumpy is an annual cycling event which raises funds for the Haslemere Fringe. It has 4 routes with a new family-friendly route this year. Early bird discount ends March 2015. Check out the Little Lumpy website here. Their early bird registration fee ends 31st March 2016.

littlelumpy

Haslemere Annual Town Meeting with a talk about Queen’s 90th birthday celebrations plus town volunteer awards will be on 23rd March 2016 (click on picture below to read invitation).NB Haslemere Annual Town MeetingSouth West Trains Travel Promotion.

SWT are offering advance off-peak day return tickets for just £15 adults & £5 kids, to over 170 destinations across the South West Trains network! You can save up to 78%*! Runs until 30th April. For more information: www.southwesttrains.co.uk/promotion.aspx

Hindhead Tunnel Story

Can you help complete the Hindhead Tunnel story? Circle Eight have recently announced that its next local interest production will tell the Hindhead Tunnel story from pipe dream to reality. The film will also tell the history of the A3 at Hindhead and will examine the impact the Tunnel has had on the Hindhead area since it opened nearly 5 years ago. They are eager to collect the views, stories and anecdotes of people who live and work in the locality. In particular they would be very keen to view any film or video local people may have of the area in the past and of the Tunnel construction. If you believe you have something to contribute to the film, please contact Michael Orford at michaeleo@btinternet.com or on 01428 644871.

Changes to Surrey’s Recycling Centres

Please see this link re SCC’s Recycling Reduced Hours. Also see here for information about recycling in Haslemere.

Parenting Puzzle Course

Please see here about the Parenting Puzzle course organised by Tennyson’s Sure Start Centre on Wednesday 4th May 2016 12.30pm – 2.30pm. Crèche provided. To be held at The Hen House.

Shepherds Hill – Thursday Update

Yesterday, I updated residents via my Facebook page saying I was working on new signage for HGV diversions away from residential roads. I also shared the update that Technics Group, a Surrey ground radar specialist, would be on site for the survey tomorrow.

This morning, I met with the contractors on site. Here is a positive update relating to the repair of Shepherds Hill:

The ground penetrating radar investigation was carried out this morning.

GroundRadar2The void is estimated to be 6 cubic metres. This means SCC has a full picture of the extent of the void and will go ahead and repair the hole. A foam cement filler for the hole is planned for tomorrow, Friday 25th February. Please note, foam cement takes 24 hours to harden. I have requested that SCC highways re-tarmac over the weekend as a matter of urgency in order to get Shepherds Hill open.

ground radar1New additional HGV diversion signage was installed at key junctions this morning.

HGVDiversionOnce again, thank you to residents for both your patience and feedback during this process.

Best regards Nikki

Update 2nd March – Shepherds Hill has re-opened

Shepherds Hill Update

Here is an update for you on the Shepherds Hill road closure in Haslemere. Please also look at my Facebook page where I have been posting interim updates here and via my twitter feed here.

Thank you to everybody who has emailed me regarding the Shepherds Hill closure. I can only say that I share your collective frustration that Shepherds Hill is still closed and we still await a full diagnosis of the extent of the void.

Sink Hole

I have been in constant contact with SCC and Thames Water for updates and progress reports since the hole was discovered.  Initially, it was presumed responsibility for the sink hole lay with Thames Water. From a surface view the hole looked like a wash out hole linked to the loss of soil/substrate by water. The weekend work that Thames Water promised failed to materialise, apparently the team was diverted to a pollution issue that took precedence. Eventually Thames Water did come on site, sent CCTV cameras into their sewers and drains and having spotted a couple of leaks, carried out the necessary repairs.

SCC Highways then took over the site, sent CCTV cameras down the hole with the expectation of pouring foam concrete down the hole. However, during last week, it became apparent that the void was more substantial than expected – rather a series of mini caves. Subsequent investigations in the sink hole have revealed remains of brick walls suggesting the basement or foundations of an earlier building – old maps show an old building at this position. There may be a link with the bunker under the grassed area by the zebra crossing.

SCC plan to send a ground radar camera into the sink hole, however, 2 electric cables belonging to SSE have been seen hanging in the void and the SCC team is unable to work without the SSE team onsite. I understand the SSE team did not attend the site as expected at the end of last week or yesterday so the SCC Highways team have had to be called off the site each time. SCC Highways have found that the highway is cracking at some distance from the sink hole mouth.

A key priority is the safety of both the SCC workman carrying out the work and the public. The scale of the void combined with the presence of electricity cables has further complicated the issue and means that the problem will not be resolved as quickly as hoped, or anticipated when the sink hole was first discovered. Unfortunately the utility companies are under no legal obligation to attend the site if other higher priority issues arise.  I hope this information is helpful. I am speaking with the highways team every day for updates and will of course continue to let you know when I have more news.

Best regards Nikki

Lion Lane Haslemere closed tomorrow from 9.30am

I write to inform you of the above Section 14 (2) notice:

NOTICE

SURREY COUNTY COUNCIL

ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 – SECTION 14(2)

(D5511) LION LANE, HASLEMERE

TEMPORARY PROHIBITION OF TRAFFIC 2016

SURREY COUNTY COUNCIL IN EXERCISE OF ITS POWERS UNDER SECTION 14 (2) OF THE Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 and all other enabling powers hereby gives notice that no person shall cause or permit any vehicle to enter or proceed along the entire length of (D5511) Lion Lane, Haslemere (part of which is known as “Polecat Hill”).

Access will be maintained for emergency service vehicles, pedestrians and residents at all times.

The prohibition referred to above will not apply in respect of anything done –

  1. a) with the permission or at the direction of a police constable in uniform
  1. b) in accordance with any restriction or requirement indicated by traffic signs placed on the highway by or on behalf of the Surrey Police

This Notice is necessary to enable Surrey County Council to carry out urgent safety defect repairs to the carriageway. The closure will commence from 9.30am on 5th February 2016 for 1 day. Advanced warning signs will be displayed and the temporary closure will only operate when the relevant traffic signs are displayed. If necessary this temporary closure can be extended for up to a total of 5 days.

The diversion route for all other vehicles will be via Lion Green, Junction Place and Hindhead Road.

DATED: 4th February 2016

For further information please call 0300 200 1003

My Update on Parking at Haslemere Station

In my recent county councillor update for Haslemere here, I wrote briefly about the upper deck parking coming soon at Haslemere station. I also mentioned a station travel plan and travel survey.

To provide more detail, here is a letter that I wrote to the Haslemere Herald this week  regarding my involvement with some of the key stakeholders.

Dear Sir,

As Haslemere’s Independent Surrey County Councillor, it is a pleasure to share an update on my work to make progress on the challenges of parking, and wider transport issues at Haslemere Station.

I was pleased that following a series of meetings with SWT earlier this year, agreement was reached for a single deck as part of their commitment to increased car parking at their served stations. It was recognised that a vast multi-storey in the heart of Haslemere was of inappropriate scale. My key concerns have been the lack of transparency in decision-making about the Multi-Storey Car Park, the lack of assessment of the negative impacts and costs of such a large development and the absence of any strategic planning. As of now, however, we have a strategic SCC funded Station Travel Plan in development, in partnership with Haslemere Vision who are developing the neighbourhood plan.

Besides the additional 100 or so new parking spaces, some key components of an integrated approach that I have been working to secure and support in my role as County Councillor include:

  • SCC and SWT’s significant co-funding of traffic calming and road safety improvements for safer access for cars, cyclists and pedestrians;
  • SWT’s funding of safer access to the dangerous bus stop opposite the station;
  • SWT’s funding for additional 100 cycle spaces in a new cycle hub;
  • SWT/SCC funding of upgrading of forecourt with planting and better signage;
  • Provision of real time bus information at the station;
  • SCC funding for the Station Travel Plan;
  • SWT Stakeholder Team partnership funding for a new Haslemere Station Community Partnership to promote Haslemere station as a “gateway” to our town and surrounding countryside, through maps, signage, leaflets and other promotion activities; and
  • SWT/SCC funding for a short-term of the vacant shop space at the station to be used as a pop-up space to promote local events.

None of this progress could have been made without the commitments from the broad team I have been working with: SCC, SWT, Network Rail, Haslemere Vision, WBC, South Downs National Park Authority, Haslemere Events and other Haslemere community organisations. Jeremy Hunt has given his support to the more appropriate scale of station car parking and I invite him to join this working group to ensure all steps are implemented in the best interests of the town as a whole.

As we move forward, I will be working with SWT as detailed highways and development plans are brought forward for SCC support and approvals. In my role as County Councillor, SWT have asked me to help coordinate their key stakeholder engagement and communications as the project comes to fruition. I shall continue to provide regular updates as usual on my website at HaslemereFirst.com, and encourage everyone to take part in the current online station travel survey at https://goo.gl/UrgK5Z.

Yours,

Councillor Nikki Barton

Member for Haslemere

Surrey County Council

As well as the above letter, please see below a brief comment I sent to The Haslemere Herald regarding the station parking at Haslemere station. (Please see this week’s Haslemere Herald for lead article: Car park to open in Autumn).

First and foremost, it is very good news that we have secured commitment from South West Trains for an appropriate scale of increase in car parking at the station. Secondly, it is  extraordinary that Jeremy Hunt views this as a victory, given he has spent the last 6 years trying – and thankfully failing – to drop a car park the size of two jumbo jets into the middle of this small market town without full consideration of the impacts, how it fits into a vision for the town and what alternative options might exist. I cannot tell whether or not he has actually listened to the voice of so many in the community who have called for an integrated transport and car parking solution, rather than the narrow “bigger is better” mindset; however, I do welcome that he has at last implicitly conceded the points that I have been making for the past three years.

I would impress upon Jeremy Hunt and the Town Council the importance of the tremendous efforts spearheaded through Haslemere Vision and the newly created Haslemere Station Community Partnership, which provide great channels for engagement on the wider opportunities for the good of our whole community.

Impending utility works on Hindhead Road – 28th January 2016

I advise of some impending utility works on Hindhead Road, at the Junctions with Tilford Road, Portsmouth Road, London Road Hindhead.

The works are using off peak multi-way temporary signals

These works are being carried out by BT and are to gain safe access to underground BT footway and carriageway boxes for fibre cabling and jointing work in existing duct. This is required for a new customer connection.

These works are due to take place from for the 28/01/16 for approximately 1 day.