Bentworth and Wield closures

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stevent
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Bentworth and Wield closures

Postby stevent » Mon Dec 10, 2012 10:24 pm

Reposting this that I put up on the defunct Forum....

In relation to these byways open to all traffic, at Bentworth and Wield which is west of Alton:
http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=46 ... &A=Y&Z=120
http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=46 ... &A=Y&Z=120
http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=46 ... &A=Y&Z=120

From: Alison Perry, Rights of Way Officer, Hampshire County Council
Date: 28 November 2012

Dear All
Re: Bentworth and Wield Byways
As you are aware Hampshire County Council, local users and residents have been
working on resolving the issues surrounding these byways. I would therefore like to
take this opportunity to let you know where we are in this process and what the next
steps might be. With the exceptional weather we have experienced over the last few
months many of our footpaths, bridleways, restricted byways and byways are
susceptible to damage if they have experienced high or illegal use. This process is
about protecting the network of rights of way for all legal users in this particular area
but forms part of a wider push to improve and enhance the network of rights of way
across the county.
We are fortunate that Hampshire County Council has been able to secure money
from the Countryside’s Capital programme for this project. Our initial investigations
have indicated that we will be able to resurface and therefore improve parts of Wield
byway 17, Bentworth byway 23 and Bentworth byways 27 and 28. With the
exception of Wield byway 17, the other byways have been subject to temporary
closures to all users since May 2012. In order to undertake the resurfacing work we
will also place a temporary closure to all users on Wield byway 17.
Please see below for a timeline of our plan. You will notice that we plan on erecting
some gates/barriers to enforce the temporary closure of these routes, these will be
padlocked to all public users as it has become apparent that a legal closure is not
enough and that this needs to be physically enforced. We hope to get these in
before Christmas but this depends on suppliers being able to provide these in this
timescale.
We plan on undertaking the resurfacing works in January/February/March 2013 –
again exact timings will be dependant on the availability of contractors, plant etc.

Very basically the contractors will be bringing in about 800 tonnes of hardcore laying
this in the ruts and depressions on all three routes and then passing over this with a
machine that scrapes everything up and re-lays it. This method reduces the number
of people and machines that are on site and is able to be done very quickly and
easily with one pass. We have used this method successfully on other byways in the
County. We will also tidy up the area at the northern end of byway 23, Dirty Lane.
This does however mean that the routes will need to be closed to ‘all traffic’,
(including walkers), during a settling period, hence our staggered opening plan.
We have suggested the staggered opening as shown below. These timings will be
dependent on a number of factors but primarily we will not open the routes to further
users if the route is showing signs of needing further settlement – i.e. if we can see
signs of walkers using the route then we will not open the route to cyclists until we
are confident that the surface can take this further ‘traffic’.
You will also note that throughout this process we will be investigating and
consulting on our future management plans. At this point we cannot say what those
may be as they will be dependant on any consultations we may undertake. But it is
likely that we would look to consider some type of experimental traffic regulation
orders (which may be different for each route) to reduce their vulnerability to
damage and irresponsible use. We are required by law and HCC policy to undertake
public consultation on these options and therefore we will be doing this during our
temporary closure period. Any experimental orders, are required by law to be
reviewed within 18 months so I have included this in our timeline.
Throughout this process we would appreciate any help from local people and users,
in particular we would look at developing monitoring forms to be completed by the
public (similar to those in use on other byways) that enable this monitoring and
logging of the state of the routes. These forms will help guide our long term plans
and provide evidence alongside our own gathered evidence for these plans.
Please note, that as with most things these dates are those that we plan on working
to (including some legal timelines) however due to any number of unforeseen
problems or issues these may change. If they do, we will endeavour to maintain
contact and keep you informed.
With this letter I attach a plan of the area showing the routes affected and some
possible locations for the erection of barriers.
If you have any further questions or comments please do not hesitate to contact me.
Yours sincerely
Alison Perry

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Dave
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Re: Bentworth and Wield closures

Postby Dave » Tue Dec 18, 2012 9:56 am

I think it's wonderful Hampshire Council have managed to secure some cash to maintain the routes that it's users love to travel accross.

But what a shame that they need to use that money to pay a company to go there and then erect physical gates to prevent access. I wonder how much of a chunk that is of the allocated funds?

I still wonder if we could do more during these times by placing a sing during closure to inform the public of what's going on and that they have our support.

I know some of you expressed concerns about angering the public with these signs. But, in my opinion, those who are already angry will remain so, doing nothing is worse in some cases than doing something.

Aside from the...
HCC wrote: But it is
likely that we would look to consider some type of experimental traffic regulation
orders (which may be different for each route) to reduce their vulnerability to
damage and irresponsible use.
It's all looking rather promising so long as 4x4s aren't going to bring us down ;)

stevent
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Re: Bentworth and Wield closures

Postby stevent » Wed Dec 26, 2012 11:03 pm

Hi everyone

Earlier this month I sent an email to HCC about the timings, saying:
* whilst we're happy to support the phased re-opening, the timings do seem very extended. Does it really take that long for the works to settle? I was wondering whether motorcycles could be provided access before September.
* it would seem sensible to allow motorcycles to during the summer months, not the start of the wetter autumn period.


I just had a reply, just before Christmas, from the officer at Hampshire County Council handling the closures/improvement work just before Christmas, key points are:
*I have noted your emails and would reiterate that the dates are movable as the whole process is so fluid.
* At the moment if we get as wet a Christmas as I heard we might be getting we'll not be able to get onto the routes to do any work in Jan so this will push back the surfacing works to Feb and March. The 2 months we have put on to exclude all users was based on previous experience and again is dependant on the weather the surfacing goes down in and how well it holds up/settles and until we do that we will not know for definite what might happen.
* Please also be assured that although I didn't specifically mention drainage in my letter, the surfacing works will cover drainage, as much as we can achieve on site. One advantage of all this rain is that we have been able to identify a source of the water on the route which seems to be coming off the road - I will therefore be speaking to my highways colleagues about the part they might be able to play in this project.
* We have now put the barriers up on Dirty Lane/ Jenny Green Lane - byway 23. After the break we will be doing the others.


I'll be keeping in contact with HCC about these routes and will pass on any info. Let me know if you've got any views or questions.

Steven

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Re: Bentworth and Wield closures

Postby stevent » Fri Feb 08, 2013 10:43 pm

From Hampshire County Council:

----- Forwarded Message -----
From: "Notices, Rights of Way" <[email protected]>
To: "Notices, Rights of Way" <[email protected]>
Sent: Friday, 8 February 2013, 15:04
Subject: Proposed Traffic Management on Byways Open to All Traffic in Bentworth

Dear All

You may be aware that Hampshire County Council has been working in conjunction with user groups and local residents to try to resolve the issues that have arisen on the Byways Open to All Traffic (BOATs) that are marked on the attached plan. A number of these routes have been under temporary closure owing to the significant surface damage that had occurred. Repairs are planned for the coming months and the routes will remain closed whilst the surface repairs settle in. They will then be reopened gradually to one type of use at a time - first to walkers, then cyclists, then horses and finally vehicles - to allow the impact of this increasing use to be monitored.

In addition to the above staged re-opening of the route following repairs, the Council proposes to implement an Experimental Traffic Regulation Order (ETRO), the effect of which will be to prohibit use of the route by all motorised vehicles, except for those who have applied for and been issued with a permit by the Council. The ETRO will be enforced by use of gates fitted with combination locks, the code for which will be given to permit holders only. Permit holders will be required to agree to a code of good conduct and any contravention of this will result in the permit being withdrawn and the lock codes changed. In this way the irresponsible and illegal use that has caused so much damage to these routes will be prevented, without removing access for responsible motorised users.

The ETRO will allow us to test the effectiveness of the permit scheme and to make any adjustments that may become necessary once the scheme is operational. It will remain in force for up to 18 months and will provide evidence to inform any proposal that may be put forward to make the ETRO permanent.

It is the Council's policy to adopt the least restrictive solution that will be effective in addressing problems on a BOAT. Further details regarding the use of motorised vehicles in the countryside can be found on the HCC website here http://www3.hants.gov.uk/row/vehicles-row.htm. The approach outlined above will allow us to test the effect of this restriction and will provide evidence on the impact of different types of use. This will in turn inform future decisions on the long term management of these routes.

Your views on this proposal are welcome. If you have any comments that you would like the Council to take into consideration, I would be grateful if you could respond in writing to [email protected] or the address below by 22nd March 2013. Following this consultation a report will be considered by the Executive Member for Culture and Recreation, who will make the formal decision on how to proceed with this proposal based on the evidence presented.

Many Thanks


Countryside Access Team
Countryside Service
Hampshire County Council
Castle Avenue
Winchester
Hampshire
SO23 8UL
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stevent
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Re: Bentworth and Wield closures

Postby stevent » Fri Feb 08, 2013 10:49 pm

Hey guys. Been extremely busy with the move - it's all gone well - brand spanking new house. Pondering ways turn my shed into Fort Knox.

Anyway post above is the latest on the Bentworth byways. HCC are proposing an Experimental TRO, a permit scheme with combination locks, like the schemes in Kent.

This is better than the byways being permanently closed, or a 6 or 9 month seasonal restriction. However it does mean you have to apply for the permits and it also means you have to stop and dismount to open the gate and then again at the other end. With 3 lanes that is six gates to negotiate. If more and more lanes end up with these restrictions then that is a lot of faffing about on a run.

My personal view is to not object to it, but to make representations to HCC that this does have an impact on responsible use (albeit much more limited than a permanent or seasonal closure) and thus we hope this type of scheme is only used in exceptional circumstances such as we have at Bentworth.

Another response might be to have a barrier for 4x4s only, a gap for motorcycle / cyclists / horses, but still require a permit for all motor vehicles inc motorcycles. That means responsible riders with permits are not impeded, it also means rogue bikers can still physically get access to the route but they will be riding illegally and could be prosecuted (more easily?) if they don't have the permit. Also they could try different options on different routes to see whether they make any difference.

Views please, which I'll put together in a collective Surrey TRF response. You're all free to make your own personal submissions as well. Email: [email protected] by 22 March.

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Dave
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Re: Bentworth and Wield closures

Postby Dave » Sat Feb 09, 2013 10:53 pm

Sounds like kicking the useless unhelpful 4x4 drivers to the curb as a sacrifice might be a good idea!!

stevent
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Re: Bentworth and Wield closures

Postby stevent » Wed Feb 27, 2013 10:06 pm

Latest from Alison Perry, which I received today:

To whom it may concern,
Hampshire County Council have now appointed contractors to undertake the surfacing works along BOATs Wield 17, Bentworth 23, 27 and 28. The contractors will commence work on site on 4th March 2013. This work will be covered by the continued temporary closure, which will be enforced with gates/barriers, similar to those already installed on BOAT 23, Dirty Lane that will be installed at the same time on the remaining routes.
As detailed in our previous email, once the surfacing works are complete the routes will remain closed to all users and we will implement a staggered opening to protect the work done as detailed in our timeline. I have slightly revised this timeline so please find the revised version attached.
This is also a quick reminder that the closing date for replies to our consultation on an experimental traffic regulation order on these routes is 22nd March 2013. Please respond to the email you received entitled: Proposed Traffic Management on Byways Open to All Traffic in Bentworth by that date.
<<Bentworth and Wield Byways update.doc>>
Thank you
Regards
Alison
Alison Perry BSc (Hons), MSc
Central Area Countryside Access Manager
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Re: Bentworth and Wield closures

Postby mudeevee » Thu Feb 28, 2013 9:48 am

My two pence worth............

Looks to me as though the tone of the information coming out of HCC is less authoritative than previously - this could well be down to the work put in by Steven, who keeps the pressure on, but using non confrontational language. I am happy to keep supporting Steven with his proposals - that is, seek to agree the Permit scheme and gates, but pursue the idea of a 'side gate' or space to allow free passage to walkers, horses and motorbikes, during the experimental stage.

This will allow us access, via a permit. Over the monitoring period, with little or no 4 X 4 use, the evidence is likely to be in our favour - little or no damage caused by trail riding.

If this course leads to these lanes remaining open for our use - job done. The method by which we achieve this, via Steven's tone and compromise, will serve us well in the future when dealing with HCC and other ROW issues.

So, thanks Steven, crack on and keep up the good work!

Derek

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Re: Bentworth and Wield closures

Postby G-Bru » Thu Feb 28, 2013 10:56 am

mudeevee wrote:My two pence worth............

Looks to me as though the tone of the information coming out of HCC is less authoritative than previously - this could well be down to the work put in by Steven, who keeps the pressure on, but using non confrontational language. I am happy to keep supporting Steven with his proposals - that is, seek to agree the Permit scheme and gates, but pursue the idea of a 'side gate' or space to allow free passage to walkers, horses and motorbikes, during the experimental stage.

This will allow us access, via a permit. Over the monitoring period, with little or no 4 X 4 use, the evidence is likely to be in our favour - little or no damage caused by trail riding.

If this course leads to these lanes remaining open for our use - job done. The method by which we achieve this, via Steven's tone and compromise, will serve us well in the future when dealing with HCC and other ROW issues.

So, thanks Steven, crack on and keep up the good work!

Derek


100% agree with Derek.

Thanks Steve for all your valuable time and effort in keeping our lanes open!

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stevent
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Re: Bentworth and Wield closures

Postby stevent » Sun Mar 17, 2013 10:55 pm

Dear all
Reminder. Deadline for submitting views is coming up - 22 March. Anyone can submit their views.
I've drafted a response on behalf of our group. If anyone wants to see a draft please send an email, and include your email address and I'll forward it to you. I only have limited access to internet so much easier for me to email at the moment.
Cheers

spt1506 at yahoo dot co dot uk

stevent
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Re: Bentworth and Wield closures

Postby stevent » Thu Aug 22, 2013 11:21 pm

Dear All
Hampshire are going ahead with the Experimental TRO at Bentworth and Wield, motorcyclists will be permitted access but you'll need to have obtained a permit, the impact will be monitored and assessed as part of the 'experiment'.
I'm not sure if they're saying the gates will restrict motorcycles or whether there will be a gap or not.
For those who were there I made representations on behalf of the group after we had a discussion at club night.
Papers attached.
Steven

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From: "Notices, Rights of Way" <[email protected]>
To: "Notices, Rights of Way" <[email protected]>
Sent: Thursday, 22 August 2013, 16:49
Subject: Experimental Traffic Regulation Order in the parishes of Bentworth and Wield - Consultation Response

Dear Sir or Madam,

Thank you for your representation regarding the proposed Experimental Traffic Regulation Order (ETRO) in respect of Byways Open to All Traffic (BOATs) in the parishes of Bentworth and Wield.

The representations sent in response to our original consultation in February 2013 have now been considered. Although due to the vast number of responses received it has not been possible to issue a detailed response to each representation, the attached ‘Summary of Representations’ shows officer comments on the general issues and concerns that were raised.

The attached covering letter provides further information, including details of the next steps available to the County Council.

If you have any queries regarding this matter, please do not hesitate to contact the Access Team.

Kind regards

Countryside Access Team
Countryside Service
Hampshire County Council
Castle Avenue
Winchester
Hampshire
SO23 8UL

http://www.hants.gov.uk/countryside
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stevent
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Re: Bentworth and Wield closures

Postby stevent » Tue Nov 12, 2013 10:25 pm

Latest update on these byways

Notices, Rights of Way
To Notices, Rights of Way
Today at 4:38 PM
Dear Sir/Madam

You have previously indicated that you would like to be kept informed of any changes relating to the ETRO’s on the following BOATs: Bentworth 23, 27 & 28 and Wield 19 & 20. These routes will be opened for use by walkers only on Friday 15th November. Use of the routes for walkers will be by way of stiles or gaps where appropriate.

We plan to open the routes up to cyclists as well as pedestrians on 6 January 2014.

Wield 17 remains closed to all users for a further 6 months whilst we continue to undertake repairs/improvements.

On a monthly basis, the surface improvements of each route will be checked by the Countryside Access Team, and we will be continuously monitoring use of the routes.

Further details can be viewed on the Council's website by following the link below:
http://www3.hants.gov.uk/pnadetail?noticeUID=2120

Kind regards

Miss Rohan Seeliger-Morley
Administrative Officer (Order Making)
Countryside Access Team, Countryside Service
Hampshire County Council, Castle Avenue, Winchester, Hampshire, SO23 8UL
Telephone: 01962 846981
www.hants.gov.uk/countryside

I've just replied to ask about motor vehicles. Not sure why they're not mentioned.


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