1. Any of my readers who are familiar with the countryside in northeast Hampshire will know that it is traversed by numerous narrow winding country lanes. These should be a delight for those that prefer to leave their vehicles in the garage and explore on foot, horse, or cycle. They are prevented from being so because despite many requests over the years, successive governments have left the speed limit at 60 mph. While I agree to some extent that their excuse of “the geography of the road will dictate the speed of the vehicle”, it is not always the case especially on the straight sections. Neither does it give priority to vulnerable road users.

2. The problem can be clearly seen on the C102 from Cradle Lane past Headley Park, then the Headley Park Rifle Range on the right, up to Trottsford and the A325. The hairpin bends and lack of refuge past Headley Park are a nightmare, as were the dustbins and puffing steam from the kitchen ventilators, while just a little further up the road the sudden and unexpected loud gunshots can cause a startled horse to slip on the tarmacked surface. At that point the road is straight with a noticeable incline which tempts the traffic to speed up.

3. The obvious solution would be to eliminate the risks involved by linking Cradle Lane directly with BW54. This could be easily done by clearing the old highway alignment of Cradle Lane which runs through the common land opposite the gun club and can be seen on all OS maps. That would remove all vulnerable road users from this dangerous section of the C102. In fact, that is what many of us had been doing in any case until 1989 when the first of the two hurricanes brought numerous trees down.
   2000 map Cradle Lane extension

4. I had written to Hampshire County Council asking that it be made available on several occasions since the 1970’s but found it time consuming with the usual reluctance to help.

5. By 1996 I was feeling frustrated by the total refusal of HCC to adopt what should have been a cheap and easy solution to the problem, so I instructed my Solicitor to write directly to the Highways Authority of East Hampshire District Council asking for action to be taken under Section 130 HA 1980 which says, “It is the duty of the Highway Authority to assert and protect the rights of the public to use and enjoyment of any highway for which they are the Highway Authority including any roadside waste which forms part of it.”
   
   

Next time: to be continued.

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