Bulford Bridge Update
Area Board Recommends Option 1 - (page 1)
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One hairdresser stated that 50% of her customers came from Bulford and if those customers could not get to her premises her business would fail. The filling station relies quite heavily on passing trade and the effect of the bridge closure would have a severe impact on the business. Other businesses like Bits and Pieces and the Palmers Papers have passing trade but deliveries to outlying villages would only be affected by the diversion and the increased delivery cost. There are no doctors surgeries or chemist in Bulford, patients either attend Amesbury or Durrington Surgeries, so there is a constant flow of the sick and elderly in both directions.
About 30% of pupils at the schools in Durrington live in Bulford
and the majority use the bridge. A high percentage of the MOD civilian staff travel between the villages and establishments on a daily basis. Bulford to Larkhill, Durrington to Bulford/Tidworth and Boscombe, with the consequence of bridge closure resulting in extra travelling time and mileage. At the public meeting on Wednesday 2nd Sept over 80 people from both communities met at the village hall where a presentation of all options was given including answers to questions that had previously been asked of Highways Dept. Members of the public were asked to select their preferred option. However during the meeting a suggestion was put forward that was agreed by all present as a possible amendment to the published options. This was named option 4. Because of the timescale only those at the meeting most businesses but only a small percentage of residents have known of this proposal. One of the biggest problems with the bridge replacement is the selection of a diversion. The topography of the land dictates that if the bridge is closed diversions either north or south could be 5 miles + depending on the route and destination. The diversion south to the A303 is on paper the easiest and most direct diversion to take. Due to the difficulty of travelling during the summer months from Bulford to Durrington i.e east to west on the 303 especially on Fridays and Saturdays due to congestion and very slowly moving traffic, it was suggested that for the whole period of single lane working on the Bridge traffic lights are not used but the road is treated as a one way road. With light traffic (weight and width restrictions in place.) moving from east to west (Bulford to Durrington) via the bridge and returning via the 303. Joining the 303 at Countess Roundabout and travelling east is always less troublesome than travelling in the opposite direction. It was considered this would benefit most people living in Bulford and using the services in Durrington. With this option local people would soon get to recognise that when the bridge is open “there is only one way to go” which will minimise congestion. Option 4 perceived benefits; -
No delays at Bulford Bridge if bridge is open. No traffic lights
and less disruption to local residents. Even if the planned installation of traffic lights on Countess Road Roundabout goes ahead next year, unless very careful controls and planning of the installation is carried out traffic lights on their own will not cure the congestion they will make it worse. We consider to replace the present Keep Clear markings with a yellow box system would be cheaper and more effective than traffic lights. Even BBC South Today stated last night that although congestion was reduced over the entire south the congestion on A303 at Stonehenge had increased dramatically this year. It was also suggested that the Army are requested that whenever possible to make Charlie Crossing available for public use during the period of bridge replacement. We estimate that although option 1 is the cheapest and quickest it is the option that has most detrimental effect on businesses. It is not their fault that the bridge needs replacing, but it is they who will bare the blunt of the operation by the loss of trade. Therefore if a business can prove a loss of earnings, why not reduce the council tax for that business for the period of bridge closure to improve the financial impact and reduce the number of businesses critically affected by the reduction in trade. The final return from the consultation is: - Completed voting
forms received – 261 Breaking down
Against Closure return, Therefore
analysis of the results puts option 2 plus option 4 as the preferred
choice of the residents of Durrington. Area Board Recommends Option 1 - (page 2)
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