News: Traffic and speeding dominate Parish Council meeting
The speed of traffic in the Village, construction traffic going to Test Valley Farm, and residents’ requests to discuss vehicles on the unmade section of Drove Road took the lion’s share of Councillors’ attention at a well-attended Parish Council meeting.
Meeting timing
Cllr David Hall opened the meeting, saying that he hoped to keep this Council meeting, and future ones, to no more than two hours. With Councillors providing reports in advance, when considering them only questions need be taken.
“The other part of the deal,” he said, was that after Parish Council meetings, Councillors and members of the public could join him at the Abbots Mitre to continue discussions less formally.
Because the Abbots Mitre was holding a function, after this meeting they would repair to the Mayfly.
Test Valley Farm traffic
Passing places on Little Drove Road
The meeting discussed the traffic issues associated with the five homes being built at Test Valley Farm.
Cllr Sue Larcombe said that it was important to “keep harrying” Hampshire County Council over a Traffic Regulation Order covering passing places on Little Drove Road.
Cllr Hall said that TVBC hadn’t included a TRO in the conditions attached to the development.
A member of the public, Alastair Campbell, who had previously been involved with the issue said “I don’t think we can say ‘you need a TRO’ because they referred only double yellow lines [in the passing places].”
Referring to the conditions that TVBC planners had attached to the development, Cllr Debbie Collis said that condition 4 specified that traffic management should be put in place until the passing places had been installed.
She said that Alfred Homes, the developer, had received a “waiver” from TVBC planning enforcement saying that a banksman - a person tasked with directing the movement of traffic - should be placed at the corner of Station Road and Little Drove.
The meeting agreed that the Parish Council should get written confirmation of this waiver from TVBC’s Planning Enforcement Officer.
Meeting with Alfred Homes
Cllr Hall observed that the meeting with Alfred Homes was “almost entirely taken up with access and traffic.”
The suggestion that a route could be made from the concrete road at the east of West Down had been investigated, but now had been convincingly ruled out.
There were two options for resolving issues on Little Drove Road:
- A suggestion from Alfred Homes to consider a one-way system, using routes along both Drove Road and Station Road
- The installation of traffic lights to control movement along the length of Little Drove Road
Cllr Tony Ewer said “Eventually something will have to be done about the corner from Station Road to Little Drove Road. We should get Alfred Homes to do a permanent change to that corner.”
Cllr Hall said “Whatever the solution, we need that corner sorting out, at least for the construction [phase], if not for the long term.”
It was agreed that Cllr Hall would write a letter to Alfred Homes asking if they could provide a permanent solution to the corner.
Speeding in the Village
Gateways and Speed indicators
At the Highway Safety agenda item, Cllr Neil Connor asked what could be done to make a difference to public safety on Chilbolton’s roads. He mentioned village gateways - signs saying “Welcome to Chilbolton” at both ends of the Village - and speed indicator devices, which display smiling or frowning faces depending on vehicle speed.
Cllr Martin Watson said “We did all of this before, and we agreed all solutions were not cost effective.” He added that during the traffic survey conducted in December 2025, speeding was not highlighted as a problem. He said there were perceptions of speeding but “we would need more evidence.”
The Highways Safety working group, which he had chaired, had been stood down when the Parish Council had decided not to proceed with its work.
Cllr Becky Williams said that at the top of Drove Road, someone had chalked the registration number, type and colour of a car that had been seen speeding.
On the issue of gateways, Cllr Sue Larcombe observed that Chilbolton was one of the few villages that didn’t have them. “Gateways make you feel that you’ve arrived somewhere,” she added.
Cllr David Hall said “We have a very real issue on the unmade bit of Drove Road. Why don’t we focus on upper Drove Road.” He proposed considering correspondence that had been received about it.
Drove Road
A significant proportion of the members of the public present at the meeting were residents of the bridleway section at the south of Drove Road.
A resident had written on their behalf to Parish Councillors, concerning the unauthorised use of vehicles. She made these points:
- The unmade section of Drove Road is a bridleway meaning that the majority of through motor traffic is illegal
- Official bridleway signs should be installed with a “No Unauthorised Vehicles” plate, or at least an “Access Only - Residents” plate
- The Parish Council should ask Hampshire County Council to help enforce and signpost the fact that most vehicles using this road have no right to be there
Explaining how residents on the unmade section of Drove Road had worked to improve its surface, she said that it had encouraged even more traffic. Cllr Neil Connor added that vehicles were going more quickly, as a result.
Cllr Hall said that a resident in Station Road had previous experience with Speedwatch, and that he was willing to help.
Cllr Watson agreed that Speedwatch was more effective. He added “It seems that the Highways Working Group has been reconvened.”
Two residents who had spoken during the discussion then volunteered to join the working group
75-home objection summary
Cllr Hall asked the meeting whether CPC should continue to make a series of objections to the 75-home planning application, or whether they should create a “new, stronger objection” that summarised the Council’s viewpoint.
This summary could be more forcefully “pushed for objection.”
Cllr Neil Connor agreed saying “the old objections don’t go away, but maybe we could produce a five to ten page summary.”
Cllr Tony Ewer said “I like the idea of looking at the changes in the [National Planning Policy Framework].”
The meeting agreed that a new document should be created. Cllr Ewer asked that it be circulated to Councillors before being lodged as an objection.
Local Government Reorganisation
During his report, TVBC and HCC Cllr David Drew said that the BBC had announced earlier in the day that local government reorganisation for Hampshire had been withdrawn by the government.
Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk were also withdrawn, with 14 other areas being “paused”.
It follows the announcement in June by Cllr Nick Adams-King, leader of Hampshire County Council, that they had launched legal action to seek a judicial review over the Government’s plan to reorganise councils in the Hampshire and Solent area.
This plan would have seen Test Valley Borough Council merged into a larger “Mid-Hants” unitary authority. It would also have seen Winchester lose its City status.
Angela Rayner, Communities Secretary, said that the reversal was “disappointing”, but was necessary after she received fresh legal advice following her return to the Cabinet.
In response to a question Cllr Drew confirmed that TVBC planners would continue their Local Plan using the new “Gateway” process.
Cllr Hall said “TVBC is here for the foreseeable future.” He also observed that the four councils which had been withdrawn had all threatened legal action against the government.
Meeting recorded
Towards the end of the meeting, Cllr Neil Connor noticed that Cllr Tony Ewer was recording the meeting on a mobile phone. When challenged, Cllr Ewer said that he had only started recording at about half an hour into the meeting.
Cllr David Hall said “any recording must be stated at the beginning of the meeting.”
With an eye on the clock, Cllr Hall was able to close the meeting at 19:55. He again invited those in the room to join him at the Mayfly public house.