In agreeing updated transport plans for the Whitehill and Bordon area, Councillor Nick Adams-King, Leader of Hampshire County Council, said: “Naturally people, behaviours and places change over time and we must be sure that we are planning to make places better for the future and provide what is needed so that people can enjoy a good quality of life. This includes making provision for changing travel patterns and aspirations such as greater use of public transport and more active and greener ways of getting around, like walking and cycling.
“This revised Strategy has been developed in partnership with East Hampshire District Council and the Whitehill and Bordon Redevelopment Company and recognises the substantial amount of funding that we have been able to secure during the past 14 years, including from Homes England and the former Enterprise M3 Local Enterprise Partnership, as well as the many transport schemes that we have delivered so far, including the A325 relief road, Arrival Square improvements and the Green Grid walking and cycling route.”
With transport priorities agreed within the Transport Strategy for the Whitehill and Bordon area, feasibility studies, funded by developer contributions, will be carried out on a range of improvement schemes including: completion of the Green Grid Loop; investigating opportunities to increase the number 18 bus service to Farnham to two buses an hour and timetabling to better connect with train services; improving existing walking, cycling and vehicle parking facilities in the high street to further reduce traffic and lower vehicle speeds; and improving walking and cycling crossing facilities on the A325 relief road.
Although a masterplan to support the area’s regeneration was agreed in 2010, travel patterns of residents have changed over time, and there have been changes to national and local transport policy. In February 2024, Hampshire County Council approved a new transport strategy for the county - Local Transport Plan 4, which seeks to deliver a carbon neutral, resilient and inclusive transport system designed around and with people. The revised Whitehill & Bordon Transport Strategy applies this vision to the local transport network in Whitehill & Bordon.
As part of the consultation work to update the Strategy, feedback was sought from Councillors from Hampshire County Council and Whitehill Town Council, as well as the Ministry of Defence – Defence Infrastructure Organisation, Homes England and the former Enterprise M3 Local Enterprise Partnership.