Hampshire County Council
Roads and Development Sub-Committee Item 5
15 January 2001
The Hampshire and Surrey (A325, Bucks Horn Oak to
Wrecclesham) (40 and 50 Miles Per Hour Speed Limit) Order
Report of the County Surveyor
1. Summary
1.1 A Traffic Regulation Order has been advertised under
delegated powers to introduce a 40 miles per hour (mph)
speed limit on the A325 between Wrecclesham in Surrey and
Holt Pound in Hampshire, and a 50 mph speed limit between
Holt Pound and Bucks Horn Oak (see attached location plan
TS3099). An agreement under Section 101 of the Local
Government Act 1972 has been made with Surrey County Council
for this Council to undertake the statutory processes for
the short section of the A325 within Surrey. This report
considers the two letters of objection received and
recommends that an Order be made as originally proposed.
2. Introduction
2.1 The scheme has been developed in response to the high number
of injury accidents on the A325, many of which were
attributed to inappropriate speed. Concerns have also been
expressed by the local Member, Councillor Filer, and by the
Police who have been approached by local residents. The
traffic flows on this section of the A325 are significant
given that this road serves as the main route for those
travelling between the Farnham, Aldershot and Farnborough
areas and the south-east of Hampshire via the A3.
3. Background
3.1 The A325 between Bucks Horn Oak and Wrecclesham is currently
subject to the national speed limit. At Bucks Horn Oak
there is a busy crossroads junction where engineering
measures have been implemented as a result of the high
number of injury accidents. The village has development
along the west side of the road for approximately 400 metres
with associated higher levels of activity. Between Bucks
Horn Oak and Holt Pound there are two major tourist
attractions, namely the Forest Lodge Garden Centre and
Birdworld. These attract a substantial number of visitors
and there have been accidents due to vehicles turning into
and out of the main entrances. To the north is the village
of Holt Pound which has residential and business development
on both sides of the road. Local residents are concerned
about the speed of traffic through the village and at times
many find it difficult to emerge from their properties that
front the main road. The county boundary is on the north
side of Holt Pound and there is a short stretch of road in
Surrey before the settlement of Wrecclesham.
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3.2 The A325 is one of 10 routes in the county that have been
recognised as having a high number of speed related
accidents and, as such, were included in a strategy of
Police enforcement using mobile speed cameras. The route
therefore already has the advantage of having an active
Police presence which has led to an improvement in road
safety and a general lowering of speeds.
4. Proposals
4.1 It is proposed to introduce a 40 mph speed limit on the A325
from the existing 30 mph speed limit in Wrecclesham, south
into Hampshire to incorporate the village of Holt Pound, and
then to continue with a 50 mph speed limit from south of
Holt Pound to a point just south of Bucks Horn Oak. It is
anticipated that this would improve road safety,
particularly at Forest Lodge and Birdworld, and complement
those safety measures already installed at Bucks Horn Oak.
4.2 The proposals have been advertised with the support of the
local Member, Councillor Filer; the Surrey local Member,
Councillor Munro; Surrey County Council and both Hampshire
and Surrey Police.
5. Objections
5.1 Two letters have been received as a result of formal
advertisement and the comments made are summarised in the
attached appendix. One objector is concerned with the
introduction of the 50 mph speed limit, claiming the whole
length of the proposals should be 40 mph. The second
objector is concerned about the proposals in general,
claiming them to be 'unrealistic and unjustified'.
6. Discussion
6.1 The proposals were developed in response to concern
regarding safety on this stretch of the A325. It was
considered that the introduction of a lower speed limit
would help reduce the high proportion of speed related
incidents.
6.2 Despite the misgivings of one objector, the proposed speed
limits are both appropriate and likely to be effective in
reducing actual vehicle speeds. However, there is little
point in introducing speed restrictions that will not be
understood by drivers. For this reason it would be
inappropriate for the 40 mph limit to extend further south
as it would then encompass a rural section of road with only
the businesses of Forest Lodge and Birdworld. The proposed
area of 40 mph would stretch from the existing 30 mph limit
in Wrecclesham to cover the village of Holt Pound which has
development on both sides of the road. The area proposed as
50 mph meets the criteria for that speed. It would extend
from the 40 mph limit, through the more rural section and
take in the village of Bucks Horn Oak which is very short
and only has development along the west side.
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6.3 An extensive scheme, involving anti-skid surfacing and
gateway signs, has already been introduced on the south side
of Bucks Horn Oak. The introduction of a 50 mph speed limit
would enhance and complement this scheme. A 40 mph speed
limit at this point would not meet the criteria for this
level of limit.
7. Cost
7.1 The estimated cost of developing, processing and advertising
the proposal is £2,000. The implementation cost is
estimated at £4,000, which would be met from the Traffic
Management Revenue Budget for 2000/01. All costs would be
met by Hampshire County Council as the promoting authority.
8. Conclusion
8.1 Despite the views expressed by the two objectors, the
proposed speed limits are considered appropriate to the
conditions and likely to be effective in controlling actual
speeds. In particular it is felt that the introduction of
the proposed speed limits will help reduce the number of
speed related accidents. It is therefore considered that
the scheme should be implemented as proposed.
Recommendation
That an Order be made under Sections 82, 83 and 84 of the Road
Traffic Regulation Act 1984, the effect of which will be to
introduce 40 and 50 miles per hour speed limits on the section of
the A325 described in this report.
Section 100 D - Local Government Act 1972 - background papers
The following documents disclose facts or matters on which this
report, or an important part of it, is based and has been relied
upon to a material extent in the preparation of this report.
NB the list excludes:
1. Published works.
2. Documents which disclose exempt or confidential information
as defined in the Act.
TITLE LOCATION
County Surveyor's Department
Working File Room 307
File 19/1/19 Office Services
6248/GH
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