Bid to reduce New Forest car numbers (From Daily Echo)
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NPA's push to lower the amount of tourists visiting the area by car
8:59am Friday 4th January 2013 in News
By Chris Yandell, Chief Reporter, New Forest
Bid to reduce New Forest car numbers
NATIONAL Park chiefs have launched a two-year campaign to cut the number of tourists who explore the New Forest by car.
The National Park Authority (NPA) wants to protect the fragile environment by persuading more people to cycle around the district or use public transport.
The award-winning New Forest Tour – a summer sightseeing service – is due to be extended next year.
Two double-decker buses taking visitors around the district will be joined by a third vehicle serving the south-west corner of the Forest, including the huge Holmsley camp site.
A new bus route serving Lepe Country Park – visited by 1,000 people a day – is also under discussion.
It follows the Government’s decision earlier this year to fund new initiatives to reduce the impact of traffic on the New Forest and South Downs national parks. The Department for Transport has released almost £4m, which must be spent by 2015.
Millions of people live within a 90-minute drive of the Forest – and 96 per cent of visitors arrive by car.
New measures to tackle the problem were revealed at a meeting of the NPA, which heard that bus and rail facilities would be upgraded.
Members welcomed the scheme but said it should be extended to embrace electric cars and the Hythe passenger ferry.
They also stressed the need to reduce congestion in Lyndhurst, the Forest’s biggest bottleneck.
Pat Wyeth, who is also a district councillor for the village, said pollution levels in parts of Lyndhurst were higher than those recorded in Totton and Southampton.
Fellow NPA member Alan Rice condemned the “dinosaurs” who had repeatedly blocked moves to build a Lyndhurst bypass.
"It’s wrong that traffic should back up all the way to Cadnam in the summer,” he said.
Maureen Holding issued a warning over moves to encourage more cycling in the Forest, saying Brockenhurst was already “swamped” during the tourist season.
Comments(12)
Brusher Mills
says...
9:23am Fri 4 Jan 13
OSPREYSAINT wrote:Not everyone comes to the forest to ride a bike or walk around. Some drive out to go for a meal or pass through the forest on the way to Christchurch etc
If they cut down the numbers of cars in the Forest, who is going to take up the responsibility of culling the excess numbers of ponies and donkeys that wander freely on the roads?
Torchie1
says...
11:41am Fri 4 Jan 13
one in a million
says...
11:52am Fri 4 Jan 13
bazzeroz
says...
1:45pm Fri 4 Jan 13
jen1
says...
4:05pm Fri 4 Jan 13
SaintM
says...
4:56pm Fri 4 Jan 13
Torchie1
says...
6:40pm Fri 4 Jan 13
jen1 wrote:Figures available show that there are 20+ million 'visitor days' a year of which 96% are made by car. In anyone's language the number is high and the NPA is just looking to reduce the cars (which don't spend money) and not the visitors (which do spend money). Try to see the overall picture.
Oh yes, ban everyone who isn't the "Right Sort" from the forest entirely.
dand_uk
says...
6:44pm Fri 4 Jan 13
If they want to encourage people to cycle in the forest how about creating a decent route between Ashurst/Totton and Lyndhurst instead of a 1m wide gravel track that's falling to bits, seperated from heavy traffic travelling at 60mph+ by 20cm of grass. Hardly inviting anyone to use it nevermind children or old people! Google Hembrow to see how it's done properly.
And dont get me started on public transport! I don't think i've ever seen a bus in the NF!
Torchie1
says...
7:46pm Fri 4 Jan 13
dand_uk wrote:General taxation has provided a road and a cycle path that meets the requirements of the majority. Personally I would like an additional lane on the Ashurst road so that I could overtake as I can do on lots of other roads but I'm realistic enough to know it won't ever happen. As for public transport in the forest, the article explains that 96%of journeys are made by car so there's not enough demand for it. Not a good news day is it?
We all pay for this country's roads thru general taxation. NFDC roads have been there for yonks and by the state of them there's been little investment in them.
If they want to encourage people to cycle in the forest how about creating a decent route between Ashurst/Totton and Lyndhurst instead of a 1m wide gravel track that's falling to bits, seperated from heavy traffic travelling at 60mph+ by 20cm of grass. Hardly inviting anyone to use it nevermind children or old people! Google Hembrow to see how it's done properly.
And dont get me started on public transport! I don't think i've ever seen a bus in the NF!
huckit P
says...
8:43pm Fri 4 Jan 13
Ginger_cyclist
says...
11:14pm Fri 4 Jan 13
bazzeroz wrote:May ask as to who you mean by "WE"?
Why not ban us all from using the roads that WE pay for. T.wats! I wonder why 96% of the visitors arrive by car. Could be something to do with useless public transport!! Bigger T.wats!!
Also, I think a cycle network following all the A and B roads that is SAFE, should be put in that connects all of the new forest villages and attractions to Totton AND Southampton city center, hopefully it will happen one day.
OSPREYSAINT says...
9:16am Fri 4 Jan 13