Butser Hill - proposed cyclepath for the missing link

[Graham]

I'll be heading over there a bit later to photo the thick layer of leaves.
This photo will accompany my Problem Report to Hants Highways.
Hopefully it will be swept . . . . eventually.

I'll take a few more photos of some of the path details for your/our enlightenment.

[Graham]

A few photos from the open section.
&
A few photos from the unopened section - but only the part I could actually get onto.

I have made some comments on the photo descriptions on Flickr

https://www.flickr.com/photos/134272349 ... 243830010/

The recently completed section into Petersfield is pretty much superfluous when addressing the overall A3 severance issue.
I hope that they have not blown the budget on this least important part ( which I had hoped that they would de-prioritise and eventually forget about ).

Currently the cycle route comes to an abrupt stop and Dead End at the cliff edge down into Queen Elizabeth Country Park.

All of the heavy plant has disappeared off site. Now what ?? The completion of this section IS the important bit !

[manybikes]

Co-incidentally I was out there this morning checking on the bit from the slip road into the park and took some photos - made superfluous by the previous post. A nice smooth surface blocked off with semi permanent fencing in two places to stop anyone progressing down to the layby section. This fencing has posts driven into the tarmac, not the temporary stuff they have been using around the machinery.

I'm hoping that the heavy plant etc. has been removed because we are now coming up to the "festive" season and they often stop work prior to Bank Holidays etc. due to the expected volume of traffic. The last bit is certainly the more important than the section over the bridge.

I agree with Graham - I would not bother with the bit to the North of the railway bridge if heading South - crossing the carriageway to ride a short distance and having to cross back over again is counter to road safety in my mind.

[tatanab]

Note how narrow the shared path is over the bridge. Obviously people with trailers or trikes etc are not considered. I am also uncomfortable using paths that have you riding into the face of traffic after dark. As an ex local I'd probably be on different roads anyway, but I do recall clubruns in the 1960s/70s going over the hill in the days before the cutting was made. I used it regularly in those days when I was riding to London, or the CTC shop in Godalming - straight up the A3.

[Graham]

I'll be heading over there a bit later to photo the thick layer of leaves.
This photo will accompany my Problem Report to Hants Highways.
Hopefully it will be swept . . . . eventually.

Reported to Hants Highways, with photo, on 6th.
They called me today (7th) to acknowledge the problem report and tell me that the affected section of the path will be swept before 19th.

The potential low-point / mudpool will be evaluated and monitored.

[flat tyre]

Thanks for following this up Graham.

[Hants47]

I am curious about the last section, the ramp down to the QE car park. Looking at the drawings that looks to be more than a few days work, with a substantial retaining wall and infill to be constructed. I assume the vehicles and equipment have been removed because the contract was for 21 weeks from 5 May so should be finished by now. If you are communicating with the council/contractors it would be interesting to hear if there is a new expected completion/opening date. Thanks for your interest.

[Graham]

Alas I have no formal role in any of the works, but here is some idle gossip.

* Original early budget £680,000 : current estimated spend to completion £ 1.1

* About two months ago I asked at the main contractor's office about the plans for the ramp down into Queen Elizabeth Country Park.
This was met with an embarassed silence. Apparently, plans were still being finalised !!!! . . . . Perhaps I misheard.
( Methinks - would you not get the details of the obviously most difficult, costly & CRITICAL section pinned down and costed before starting all other works ??? )
How did the tendering process ever happen if this critical section still remains to be finalised ??

* Heavy plant has gone off site because it costs a lot to hire, so they cannot just let it sit around ( until things get "finalised" ). In addition, it almost certainly would be vandalised or stolen.

* One of the work-team foremen suggested ( informally) that the whole route would be finished by the end of Jan 2016.

I'll nip over there sometime soonish and try to get an update on the gossip

[Graham]

. . . A nice smooth surface blocked off with semi permanent fencing in two places to stop anyone progressing down to the layby section. This fencing has posts driven into the tarmac, not the temporary stuff they have been using around the machinery.

I see what you mean now. That fencing doesn't look very temporary. I'm getting a bad feeling about this.

The five Portacabins used by Raymond Brown Construction have been removed from QECP. It doesn't look like they will continuing any work in the near future.

For the moment I just want them to move the traffic cones currently blocking the left-hand-side, off-carriageway, tarmac band ASAP - as I don't much "enjoy" cycling on the A3 main carriageway itself.

A few more photos in the Flickr album . . . .
https://www.flickr.com/photos/134272349 ... 2060420605

[Graham]

Quick update :

The 40 metre section, north of the railway bridge, which was covered in a thick layer of slippery leaves has now been cleared.
( I think that they have swept the whole length - this is good because tree debris was accumulating along much of the new path. )

The mudpool just north of the railway bridge has been partially cleared. There are clear signs that silt & mud will persistently run-off the roadside banking at this point across the path.
There is no exit drain for the mudpool.
Hopefully this will be addressed.

An email from the Implementation Team @ Hants states that :-
* Work has been delayed by the difficult ground conditions at the Country Park end.
* They are fully committed to completing the path, with work restarting in the New Year.
* Hoping to have it completed in the spring.
* They are looking into shifting the road cones onto the grass. If they do this then the off-carriageway tarmac strip will become available again to provide the cyclists-refuge-of-last-resort southbound.

[colin mitchell]

Very good idea. Queen Elizabeth Park centre is difficult to use currently with a road bike. I go towards the Meons and up the steep climb to the top near the mast and then round by the road unless it's dry when the south down path is safe.

[bikes4two]

I post the following update courtesy of the Portsmouth CTC website (members section only I believe)
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See HCC post of 11th February 2016 which includes the following:

“The Petersfield to Queen Elizabeth Country park pedestrian and cycle route is being built in five sections. Three of the sections are substantially complete and site clearance and some drainage works have been completed on the section nearest to the Country Park. However, unforeseen ground conditions have required a review and redesign of the proposed retaining wall. The contractor worked on site until their Christmas shutdown but work has had to be suspended whilst design amendments are made. The outstanding works will be completed once the redesigns are finalised.

An update will be provided to the Executive Member for Economy, Transport & Environment at this Decision Day on 21st March 2016. A further update will be posted on this website following this meeting.”

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[gaz]

See HCC post of 11th February 2016 ...

HCC.

[Graham]

Thanks for the update. Much gnashing of teeth and muttering of "blimmin white elephant".

This severance issue for cyclists needs to be fixed pronto.

[CJ]

Glad to see the macadam does have tar in it. Pity we have to wait so long for our 'jam tomorrow'. I expect I'll have moved back to Derbyshire before it's actually finished!