Representation by Ramblers Association - Winchester Group (Ramblers Association - Winchester Group)
- Date submitted
- 6 March 2023
- Submitted by
- Non-statutory organisations
Ramblers Association Registration Comments related to DCO for M3 junction 9 Improvement - DRAFT 1. The Ramblers Association (Winchester Group) has been fully engaged with the Walkers, Cyclists and Horse-riders working group that has been promoted by the project management team since 2019. 2. This working group has provided excellent opportunities for involvement with the scheme planning with regard to Non-Motorised Users (NMU) and has benefitted from the very positive and constructive engagement of the members of the project management team. 3a. The major objectives of the Ramblers in representing walkers’ interests in this scheme are – - to secure a traffic free walking route between Winnall and Kings Worthy - to ensure that the existing walking routes that cross the A33/A34 in the vicinity (that is the Itchen Way footpath and the Nun’s Walk footpath) are not degraded by the scheme but rather they be improved and ideally connected together. - to ensure that the current walking (and cycling) route leading from Winnall to Easton Lane (east) across the junction 9 roundabout is moved away from the currently hazardous section of walking on a narrow pavement immediately adjacent to heavy traffic. 3b. The Ramblers Association welcomes the fact that these objectives will generally be met by the published plans. There are a number of relatively minor detailed matters of further improvement that are the subject of further discussion. See below. 4. Walkers welcome the addition of a new public right of way (bridleway?) to the east of the motorway, linking the eastern side of the roundabout with the Long Walk to the northeast of the site. 5. Ramblers have the following initial representations with respect to the DCO plans as published - 5a. 2.4 Rights of Way and Access Plans, Sheet 4 – also throughout Chapter 12 – An important existing public right of way is missing from the published plans. Itchen Valley Restricted Byway 19 terminates at the subway under the M3 on the ‘Long Walk’ less than 100 metres to the north of the northern end of the proposed new bridleway to the east of the motorway and leads directly eastwards to Easton Village. This will be a significant ‘onward route’ for many users of the new bridleway. Its existence must contribute to the added value of providing the new bridleway. 5b. 2.5 General Arrangement Plans – throughout these plans the width of the proposed Winnall to Kings Worthy Walking and Cycling route is described as 3m wide (and the new footbridge 3.5m wide). The width is not specified in 2.4 Rights of Way and Access Plans. The width of the new route to the east of the motorway is not specified in either 2.4 or 2.5. Our discussions within the working group have consistently identified that these paths need to be AT LEAST 4m wide to accommodate current good practice. 5c. The legal status of both the Winnall to Kings Worthy route and the new route east of the motorway needs to be defined. (ie. Footpath, Bridleway, Restricted Byway, Byway, or ‘other’) so that legal requirements and ongoing maintenance implications can be clear. There is potential for much confusion along the length of the Winnall to Kings Worthy route because of the amount of re-use of existing highways etc. 5d. Similarly the legal status of the east/west route through the roundabout needs to be simplified rather than showing a change of status mid-route. The reasons for the existing bridleway to end at the eastern edge of the current overbridge are historic and the result of failure of legal processes in the past. This would be a good opportunity to resolve the problem. 5e. On the Winnall to Kings Worthy route it is disappointing to see the need for the at-grade signalised Toucan crossing outside the National Highway Depot and the need south of this for walkers (and others) to enter the environment of the new roundabout. As discussed by the working group, instead of the Toucan crossing there is an obvious ‘desire line’ southbound, particularly for walkers, that remains to the west of the highways bordering the Homebase site to reach Easton Lane and the Tesco roundabout. If not properly provided for this could easily become the subject of an unofficial walkers’ ‘rat-run’.