SELBORNE residents turned out in force this month to put their names to a campaign to secure a 20mph limit through the village. They were adamant that Gilbert White's rural haven has had enough of speeding commuter traffic threatening the safety of pedestrians, of juggernauts damaging historic buildings, and of damage to health due to heavy pollution. The village hall was packed at the meeting of Selborne Parish Council on March 12. Residents turned out in numbers to support local campaigner, Dr Edward (Ted) Yates, as he called on the council to "take action" in the battle for a blanket 20mph restriction. Having set the cat among the pigeons in October last year with an inspirational letter to The Times bearing 35 prestigious signatures, Dr Yates expressed anger at the lack of response. A petition to Gordon Brown had been "disregarded" and Hampshire County Council leader, Ken Thornber, had failed to reply to Selborne's call for rural communities to be included in the Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety (PACTS) proposed introduction of a blanket 20mph in built-up areas. PACTS is currently pushing for the restriction to be implemented in towns and cities but, with 60 per cent of the UK's annual 3,200 road fatalities occurring in rural areas, Selborne believes the villages should be top of the list for a 20mph scheme. Backed at the meeting by more than 80 members of the community, Dr Yates urged the parish council to write to HCC's chief executive Andrew Smith, demanding the introduction of a 20mph limit in all villages within the parish. Selborne should be able to do this by law where communal life is seriously disturbed by traffic, which was "most certainly the case in Selborne". He further pointed out that a 20mph restriction had been achieved in Liphook where there were adequate pavements of a kind "grievously lacking" in Selborne. In support of Dr Yates, one resident said that while he would not like to see Selborne revert back to Gilbert White's time, he felt that businesses would benefit and more people would be encouraged to visit if they could do so in a safer and more peaceful environment. He said: "This should be a wonderful vibrant village which likes to welcome visitors. Instead we have to endure 10,000 commuters a day who bring no benefits at all." Key to the problem, residents felt, had been the opening in 1992 of the Ham Barn roundabout on the A3. The roundabout also opened up a rat run for traffic wanting to commute between the A3 and the A32, A31 and M3. The fear was that the problem would be further exacerbated by work on the Hindhead tunnel which will encourage A3 traffic to find alternative routes. Having endured a spell of roadworks last year, when the B3006 through Selborne was closed for around six weeks to facilitate the installation of pedestrian safety measures, residents are acutely aware of the impact closure of the Ham Barn roundabout would have on the village. "It was just a delightful place to live," pointed out one resident. While acknowledging the safety measures, Selborne Parish Council chairman Hayley Carter has now written to Andrew Smith, seeking to enter into a dialogue with HCC to look at a long-term solution to Selborne's traffic-speed problem. The letter drives home the point that it is widely recognised within the community that "the volume of traffic using the B3006 through Selborne is seriously detrimental to the quality of life of residents, the historical buildings close to the road, and the village's role as a major tourist attraction within the proposed South Downs National Park". She continued: "The unique position of Selborne as a rural B road, which carries the volume of traffic experienced by many A roads, makes the use of standard traffic-calming solutions impractical and the imposition of a 20mph limit would appear to many villagers to be the only viable option. "Indeed, in a recent traffic survey to assess the pedestrian safety scheme carried out last year, 88 per cent of those that replied wanted a 20mph speed limit for the village." The results of the parish council traffic survey will be the subject of an exhibition at Selborne Village Hall from 3pm to 8pm on Monday.
