People before cars!
Winchester Green Party is calling for the total closure of Hyde Church Lane to dangerous traffic.
Cars are STILL being allowed to drive both ways along Hyde Church Lane which is extremely narrow and has no pavements for most of its length. Huge lorries are using the lane, often guided by their satnavs.
A recent survey by local residents found that over 700 pedestrians, including small children and elderly people, use the Lane per day. They are forced to share it with more than 200 vehicles per day.
The City Council decided on an inadequate compromise solution last December. The plan is to close the Lane – but only at one end (the Worthy Lane end) – by next month. This one-way arrangement will simply ensure that cars drive faster – endangering both pedestrians and cyclists.
Alison Craig of the Green Party says, ‘Hyde Church Lane is an accident waiting to happen, and making it one-way is no solution at all. This is a classic example of putting the convenience of motorists before people’s safety.’
Winchester Green Party has written to Cllr Victoria Weston, the new Chairman of the City Council Cabinet (Traffic and Parking) Committee, proposing a total closure of the Lane, for road safety reasons, by taking the steps as follows:
- Continue with, and complete, the installation of the Experimental ‘No Entry’ signs at the Worthy Lane end of Hyde Church Lane;
- Also install Experimental ‘No Entry – Access Only’ signs at the Hyde Street End of Hyde Church Lane, effectively closing the Lane to all traffic (except emergency access); maintain access for pedestrians and cyclists;
- Suspend the plan to install a Road Closure Point (physical block) at the planned location – mid-way up Hyde Church Lane; this would remove any risk of motorists (residents or other) reversing back out onto Hyde Street, an extremely dangerous manoeuvre
- Monitor results, in consultation with residents and local Councillors, for 12 months, then review;
- Plan to install a Road Closure Point (physical block or bollard) at the entrance of Hyde Church Lane at the Hyde Street end. At the same time as installing it, replace the ‘No Entry’ signs at the Worthy Lane end with ‘No Entry – Access Only’ signs.
Please support our campaign. Please write to or email Councillor Victoria Weston, Chair, Cabinet (Traffic and Parking) Committee, Winchester City Council, Colebrook Street, Winchester, Hampshire SO23 9LJ vweston@winchester.gov.uk
For a location map of Hyde Church Lane, click on link below:
