Consultation to Movement strategy only until 13/01/19

31 December 2018

Winchester Movement Strategy – a step forward

We are glad that the Movement Strategy gives an opportunity to discuss traffic in Winchester City. It highlights the issues of congestion and pollution. However, there is a worry that congestion is primarily seen as a nuisance for drivers who want to go around the city in the car, rather than the effects on people’s health due to inactive lifestyles, noise, pollution and accidents; and climate change.

The consultation seeks views about directions and overarching options that should guide how measures are implemented in the coming years. We urge all our supporters and members to participate with the consultation until 13^th of January. Here is the link to the  consultation: https://www.hants.gov.uk/aboutthecouncil/haveyoursay/consultations/winchestermovementstrategy

Winchester Green Party – Solutions

Only a significant reduction in motorised vehicle traffic will lead to an improved quality of life. However, it is important to provide appealing alternatives to car traffic and better planning of developments to reduce the need to travel. These alternatives should include:

• Safe and convenient cycle and walking routes into and through the city centre
• Bus service that is designed and subsidised to be a real alternative to car use: cover all areas within Winchester and surrounding villages with a frequent bus service, including late hour service, financial incentives like combi tickets or free bus travel with entry to Leisure centre, theatre or cinema or in combination with train ticket
• Encourage cycling in both directions on all one-way roads
• More space for pedestrians, cyclists and scooters
• Improved public realm that puts pedestrians and cyclists at its centre
• Priority lanes and traffic lights for buses and cyclists
• Better cycle storage facilities in the centre
• Reopen Watercress line between Winchester and Alresford
• Electrify train line or use hydrogen powered trains only, stop diesel trains passing through

• Restrict most polluting vehicles from entry to Winchester
• No parking in the city centre except for blue badge holders and deliveries
• Increased parking charges, including Sundays and bank holidays
• Workplace levy for business parking
• Close roads to car traffic especially in the city centre
• Bus gate’s (e.g. City Bridge, Jewry Street, St Georges Street…) to restrict car traffic except emergency vehicles and buses
• Reduce car traffic to train stations (e.g. less car parking facilities and better bus shuttle between Shawford and Winchester station, more trains stopping at Shawford and Micheldever, explore new train station next to P&R car park, free bus travel with train tickets)
• Encourage use of electric delivery vans and goods delivery by train to local depot

We worry that new projects in planning have not been designed to reduce traffic. The new sport and leisure centre at Bar End is very likely to increase car traffic as it is further away from the city centre and train station and is not linked well with bus and cycle routes. The Station Approach project includes extra car parking which will only increase car traffic into the centre unnecessarily as there are already good public transport links including trains. New J9 junction at M3 is likely to increase traffic into Winchester.

All new projects like these need to be planned with the view to reduce motorised traffic and encourage active forms of traffic like walking, cycling and public transport.

Other resources supported by the Green Party:

These resources might make it easier for you to have a positive impact on this consultation. Several campaign groups have spent lots of time to think on how best to influence the Movement strategy to make sure that the outcome will go in the right direction>

Here is a list of links:

Winchester Against Climate Change (WinACC):

https://www.winacc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/winacc-draft-response-to-winchester-movement-strategy-phase-two-consultation-v1-december-2018.pdf

Cycle Winchester:

http://cyclewinchester.org.uk/updates/winchester-movement-strategy-cycle-winchesters-quick-guide/

Walking Strategy

 

A high number of individual responses are likely to make an impact and therefore above suggestions are there only to help with some guidance.

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