Village plan
Traffic in Langrish Parish
The burden of traffic on life in the villages was one of the main problems brought out in our Parish Plan. The danger of walking to neighbours or the bus stop, or of turning out of one?s drive at the start of any journey, have increased noticeably.There is now an element of fear attached to every one of such moves. To see a huge transport vehicle driving straight at you on the pavement as it negotiates the curve is a frightening experience. It is not unusual to have one's hat blown off as it thunders past. If a car, invisible as one turns out of a gate on to the road, is obliged to check its speed, one is often abused with angry hootings. These conditions cannot be accepted as a normal way of life anywhere, let alone in a country village. We seek a solution that will remind motorists that they are guests in a residential area, not driving along a motorway.
We wish to get across the message that our village street is not really a suitable route for such a ?main road? ? it has had the traffic imposed on it over the years? through the absence of any properly constructed east-west motorway. If it is to be used as such a major highway, drivers should at least be asked to respect the
Privilege they enjoy , and to consider the residents whose lives they are disturbing.
The problem became worse earlier this year with the closure of Stoner Hill and diversion of traffic through Langrish on the A272.? We then asked for a temporary 30 mph limit to be imposed while Stoner Hill is repaired. We have twice had the answer that our present speed limit is appropriate for ?a main road of this type?.
We are told that the criteria for setting speed limits are ?the character of the road and the settlements through which a road passes?.? This is just exactly what we are asking to be considered in our case. The character of the road is a twisting country lane merging into a village street. Our photographs show the road as it was up to a hundred years ago, and the only significant change now is that growth of foliage has further reduced visibility. The road? has never been engineered into an adequate east-west highway. The settlement is a country village with home
entrances opening virtually on to the street, with inadequate sight lines for vehicles to emerge into heavy traffic streams.
Although there is a footway on one side of Langrish Hill, it is so narrow as to make its use an anxious experience when streams of vehicles are passing , often over the speed limit. Emerging from driveways here always proves to be an un-nerving experience.
West Meon has a 30 mph speed limit on an A road wider than ours, and it is reinforced by a warning light. We would like the same consideration to be given to our ?settlement?.
On the same road (A272) in Wisborough Green (West Sussex), there are notices making just such a call for care as we ask ? one for consideration of the local inhabitants.
Without wishing to be contentious, we have the impression that the Highways Authority regards the roads as its possession, administered for the benefit of motor traffic - we were not consulted as a community before the recent diversion was routed through our village. We submit that roads are vital links in the life of the local population, whose needs should be given consideration
We seek the help of experts to co-operate with us in giving us all the protection possible from the weight of traffic we have to endure. We feel certain that with understanding and goodwioll an improvement can be made on our present plight.
The Parish Plan and Design Statement was completed and published in 2004.. As well as containing details of the problems, opportunities and plans for the two villages of Langrish and Ramsdean it is a valuable description of the communities today and contains much historical, environmental and social information.
Copies and CDs are available from Roger Deadman at Ridge House, Langrish Hill. Telephone 265354. The document price is ?10.00 and the CD ?5.00. If you have not seen it, it is well worth seeing.