Archived decisions

New Forest National Park Recreation Management Strategy

Officer comments on detailed technical matters

These technical comments accompany the formal representations contained in the Cabinet Report which form the County Council's strategic response to the consultation. The comments should be read in conjunction with the strategic comments and the detailed technical response to the National Park Plan

Chapter 2. Vision and Guiding Principles

p.11- Vision: Point 7, ref signage/minimal clutter. Recreational management may rely on signage, and accessibility to some recreational opportunities may result in additional infrastructure.

Point 9, ref integrated sustainable transport. Any integrated network would have to ensure that it didn't lead to increased levels of social exclusion. Groups who rely on their cars to access jobs, leisure and shopping and are unable to use buses need to be considered.

p.12- Guiding Principles: Mitigating Climate Change should cover more than the carbon footprint, and also be looking at the adaptation of habitats and species.

Chapter 3. Recreation in the National Park

P26 - SWOT analysis. "Absence of suitable forms of transport other than the private car for local visitors." Visitor destinations away from the main roads through the Forest and larger settlements are likely to be economically unviable, due to low demand. Diversion away from existing routes would increase journey length and impact on patronage. It is unclear how the aspiration to deliver people to destinations in the New Forest sustainably will be achieved in the short term.

Whilst public transport brings people into the New Forest, how visitors then get from public transport nodes to their desired destination is not addressed

Bus services need to be economically viable and low patronage and finite County Council resources for subsidising services combine to make it unlikely that the situation could be improved in the short term. The Council prioritises access to essential services (schools, colleges, health, shops and employment) in the allocation of bus subsidy. The NPA should promote access that starts and ends at Public Transport nodes.

"Poorly utilised network of minor roads, especially by cyclists"

This is a promotion issue for the National Park to address.

"Fragmentation of the National Park by busy roads"

Roads such as the A31 have a strategic function, connecting labour markets and businesses, and contributing to the competitiveness and productivity of the regional economy. Main roads offer fast and efficient movement through and into the Forest.

Chapter 5. The Strategy for the Future

p34 The Spatial Approach

A landscape character approach would make this approach more robust, by identifying issues in different landscapes other than their nature conservation designations, and the ability of these landscapes to absorb recreational pressure.

P34 text starting "In the New Forest there has been a long held pattern of visitor dispersal......... This approach will be retained." The rationale underpinning the retention of this strategy accepts that the car will remain the main mode of access to the Forest, which conflicts with the aspiration to encourage sustainable access to destinations in the Forest.

p.36. Working with and through others. This section is weak. An inclusive partnership and community commitment should be established at the start of the plan. Throughout the Plan there should be clarity as to where the policies reflect community aspirations, where they accord with the New Forest Countryside Access Plan and other core documents. This section should set out how the NPA will improve partnership working in the future.

Chapter 6. Implementing the Strategy

p. 42 B2.1 Improve the availability of public information about the recreational opportunities in the New Forest....HCC has a tourist signing policy which will be applied in all cases. Tourism is vital to Hampshire's economy, but signing must take account of considerations of road safety, traffic management and the environment.

p. 43-49 reducing the impact of the car.

Supporting text: Bournemouth is identified as a "Key interchange hub" on the map on p46 but Southampton is omitted. "Key Interchange Hub[s]" are not defined.

T1.1 Encourage all recreation providers to have a travel plan. This policy should be extended to larger scale accommodation providers.

Policy T1.2 Enhance recreational transport links ...The NPA will be expected to identify funding streams for this.

Policy T2.1 The experimental closure of selected minor roads. Decisions on road closures are the sole responsibility of the County Council. Such proposals may impact on access for residents to services, on businesses, and on the ability of the mobility impaired to enjoy the National Park. Increased social exclusion may also result for those reliant on the car to get around. Traffic will be redistributed to other roads which may have unacceptable impacts.

Policy T2.2 Increase the accessibility of the National Park by providing safe road crossing points...The provision of crossing points will need to satisfy safety audit, take account of the impact on traffic on traffic sensitive roads and will be subject to the availability of finance. Demand for controlled crossings greatly exceeds available resources and schemes are prioritised on safety grounds. Where pedestrian counts are low or flows are irregular, defined crossing points can increase risk by providing a false sense of security..

Policy T3.1 Reduce impacts associated with car parking..... The aspiration to control visitor numbers to zones 1 and 2 needs to be more flexible, and responsive to future usage levels. If an area is attractive to visitors and readily accessible by the car, insufficient car parking could lead to informal parking on the highway.

p. 49 Policy T3.4 Implement physical controls to resolve verge parking and consider using traffic prohibition orders to prevent parking outside car parks and designated car parking areas - linked to enforcement. The County Council is developing a policy framework on parking on road verges to apply throughout the county. The impact of road verge parking will need to be weighed up against: who it will affect, the cost, and the priorities for enforcement by the police or responsible body if it is on private land. The police need to be engaged in the process and commitment secured to ensure any road verge parking policy is enforced .There may be cost implications for the National Park Authority. Parking regulations can introduce an unwelcome urbanising character.

Pp50-54 The role of facilities.

Policy F2 with reference to ` outside the National Park promote the highest quality recreation provision....'. This will require cross-boundary discussions, negotiation and partnership working to gain support and assistance from neighbouring authorities; there is very little emphasis on this kind of partnership working within the strategy.

F 2.2 Replace "LDPs" with either "LDFs" or "DPDs".

Policy AA1.2 with reference to the availability of transport options that are affordable and accessible.... Partnerships with community transport providers will be important here, which is not noted within the strategy.

p58-61 - Walking policies. For schemes that impinge on the Highway, the impact on the capacity, operation and safety of all users of the highway will need to be considered. Funding will also be an important consideration.

W2.1 The NPA needs to set out how it will work with bordering Local Planning Authorities to deliver such schemes.

p62-65- On and Off-Road Cycling policies.

Policy C1.1 Provide a strategic cycle network within the National Park. The Strategic Cycle Network plan is a wish list of routes which can only be achieved when appropriate funding has been sourced, environmental impacts considered and consultation with stakeholders undertaken.

Policy C1.2 Make cycling easier within the National Park......If public transport providers are able to carry cycles the availability could be out-weighed by demand. Cycle parking should be located in secure areas and not in car parks or on the outskirts of villages.

Policy C2.2 Work with the Verderers and Commoners.... The Forestry Commission rangers could also have a role in relation to this policy.

Policy C2.3 Ensure that any new waymarked cycle routes follow existing tracks....The New Forest Strategic Cycle Network plan already follows these criteria and will involve consultation with the NPA.

pp.69- camping and caravanning Policy CC1.1 ref phased relocation of campsites. The economic and social impacts of relocating facilities must be properly investigated. The location of campsites such as Ashurst, accessible by public transport, should be weighed up against all NPA sustainability policies, not just on impacts on nature conservation.

Appendix 1

The cumulative impact of a number of proposals for recreational activities in same area also needs to be considered.