Good to see the pinch points starting to take shape along Turnpike Road.

By jhedgened at 16:41 on 14/10/11

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As we've discovered in Maunsell Way, pinch points don't actually slow traffic down, they just move opposing flows of traffic closer together.

By rjjfmusic at 18:18 on 20/10/11
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I agree with rjjfmusic. Pinch points are likely to cause as many accidents as they prevent. They also cause congestion and we've got enough of that already, in Hedge End. Pinch points are the wrong solution. I'd be inclined to rip them out completely, rather than build new ones...

By TGRWorzel at 18:49 on 20/10/11
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Yes I have to agree these are a waste of time and money, they don't slow people down, merely push two oncoming cars together that think it's their right of way. Rip them up!

By torypaul2010 at 08:16 on 28/10/11
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I would be extremely surprised if any residents along this stretch of road were consulted at all. We are however looking for 5 people to join Hampshire Police "Speedwatch" We need 6 people in total to give up some time each month to run the scheme in Hedge End. If you are interested please get "In Touch" and I will send you the information.

By torypaul2010 at 08:26 on 28/10/11
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Let's not forget that the pinch points in Turnpike Way are being put in in response to an accident last year in which a Wildern pupil was seriously injured on her way to school.

In so far as they make the road narrower, pedestrians that cross there are exposed to the traffic for a shorter period of time, so logic says the risk of being hit by a speeding car while crossing is reduced.

By Keith_Day at 11:39 on 28/10/11
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Agree with most of previous posts, pinch points don't slow traffic down. Maunsell Way in the morning and around 5pm is a motorway, constant traffic of cars speeding and no chance for pedestrians to across the road safely (most are kids going/leaving Berrywood School).

Also, roundabout Maunsell Way / Drummond Road is a hazard waiting for an accident to happen. Once again, traffic coming from Maunsell Way is too fast to realise they have to give preference to cars from Drummond Road and there are some bushes in the corner reducing visibility.

By options4me at 13:01 on 28/10/11
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I'm reading in Jane Welsh's latest election leaflet, which says that Cllr Rupert Kyrle is looking into setting up a Community Speedwatch group in Hedge End...

The idea that the Lib Dems are setting up a speedwatch group and the Conservatives are doing the same thing is laughable really...

Why on earth don't you just join forces and have the one speedwatch group in Hedge End...?.

It makes more a lot sense than having a Lib Dem speedwatch group nicking people driving blue cars in Kings Copse Avenue and a Tory speedwatch group nicking people driving yellow cars in St Johns Road...?

It would certainly be interesting to see Tory and Lib Dem candidates stood next to each other, in the photo's that are being planned for the next years election leaflets...!

See http://tinyurl.com/3q6ynlf for more thoughts on the subject of Speed vigilante's...

By TGRWorzel at 18:11 on 28/10/11
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Turnpike way is always subject to drivers exceeding 30 mph.

By jhedgened at 20:08 on 28/10/11
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The whole idea of Speedwatch is to act upon local information on problem areas, Irrespective of the independent views thinking it's laughable, it works and has been a great success elsewhere in the county, frankly I don't care who I'm stood next to, or who I have my photo taken with, as long as it works, in my opinion we need it in Hedge End, so think not what Hedge end can do for you, but what you can do for Hedge End!

By torypaul2010 at 20:25 on 28/10/11
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I will genuinely look forward to seeing the photo of Lib Dems and Tories stood next to each other on the same Community Speedwatch exercise...!

By TGRWorzel at 20:51 on 28/10/11
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Sadley TGR I think your missing the point, road safety or a good picture for your blog Errrrrrmm

By torypaul2010 at 00:22 on 29/10/11
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My point is that what is theoretically intended to be a Road Safety exercise has now become politicised. Lib Dems and Tories are falling over themselves to set up a Speedwatch Group which they can use as the basis of a good story in their election leaflets in order to claim the moral high ground...

If you do happen to find yourself in the same Speedwatch group as Rupert Kyrle, I promise I'll come and take the photo's and I will write a very positive story. I'd love to see the two parties working together on this, forming a Speedwatch coalition in Hedge End...!

By TGRWorzel at 16:26 on 29/10/11
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I sincerely hope the girl was not seriously injured. and has made a full recovery.

However the accident was not the REASON pinch points are being installed...it is the EXCUSE used by power mad local politicians in their frustration at defiant motorists. Here's the basic psychological motivation..

Turnpike Way is what political tyrants call a "rat run", a term of abuse applied to those who use ingenuity to circumvent micro-manipulative traffic schemes wielded by tyrants to control their subjects.

In this case Turnpike Way is a constant irritation for political tyrants because it provides an alternative route to their traffic-light-stranglehold on the main motorway intersection roundabout. In their eyes, we are indeed "rats" and they are the "masters".

When motorists show their free will by choosing to drive along roads where the political tyrants cannot control them by traffic lights, the tyrants are bound to retaliate by attempting to limit the freedom along those alternative routes.

Nothing shows up the emperor's clothes of local political power more than motorists driving along roads THEY choose.

Hence the pinch points and there will be more accidents of a serious nature.

By Peter_Stewart at 10:38 on 10/12/11
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What a load of tosh.

By jhedgened at 10:42 on 10/12/11
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I have had first hand experience today, of two large 4x4's trying to get to the pinch point quicker than the other so as not to be doing the wing mirror chicken run! It realy is a c**p idea.

By torypaul2010 at 22:50 on 11/12/11
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Sounds more like cr*p driving Paul!

By Keith_Day at 20:18 on 12/12/11
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I'd like to see a HGV and Bus ban down Wildern Lane, or make it one-way !

By jhedgened at 13:58 on 13/12/11
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I've not had the pleasure of experiencing your diving Keith, but i'll take your word for it!

By torypaul2010 at 16:41 on 15/12/11
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Or your driving even lol

By torypaul2010 at 16:43 on 15/12/11
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What nobody has said yet, is that the idiots who persist in excessive speeding are causing these designer-obstructions to be built into our roads.

Speeding is therefore not clever for two reasons;

Firstly it can be dangerous (n.b. I say "can be" rather than "is")
Secondly it gives the authorities reason to put these obstacles in our way...

But I want to qualify my comments. Look around and you'll see that speed limits are sometimes set too low, for electoral reasons rather than safety reasons. Witness the 30mph limits in the Belbins area, outside Romsey, decent roads in a rural area with few hazards which could easily take traffic at 40mph. The 30mph limit through Timsbury is equally ridiculous. Incorrect speed limits like these, where the law is clearly an ass, do not help matters...!

By TGRWorzel at 21:29 on 15/12/11
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Only the occaisional roundabout is likely to change the situation in that road, and not one of the mini varieties! That said, a couple of chicanes might work. Also a few more Police in Hedge End with speed cameras turning up at random would be nice. Talking of the Police, will they ever stop people speeding up and going through the red lights in the centre? Some prat did this during the turning on of the Christmas llights tis year with all the kids around. I suspect that this might be the site of the next serious accident.

By Pete_M4 at 00:04 on 29/12/11
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I don't understand why Turnpike Way cannot have the same traffic calming measures introduced into the road that runs off Botley Road towards the Southampton Arms Pub. There is only room for one car to pass. I have had the experience of teaching my son to drive, he had L plates on and had slowed to turn right off Turnpike Way into a side road. An idiot overtook him! Worse still, the idiot (male) had a boy in the car (maybe 10, 12 years old).

On three occasions I have been driving into Hedge End, down Upper Northam Road, on a Sunday afternoon, and been overtaken because I was only doing 30 mph. Before the bollards were installed in front of the golf centre, it was not unusual for me to be overtaken when I slowed down to turn into Turnpike Way.

I don't know what the solution is, I wish I did.

By Davel_cats at 17:43 on 29/12/11
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