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Thursday, 9th September 2010

Village green bid to stop Fareham-Gosport bus route

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Published Date:
09 February 2010
A bid to block a £20m bus route by getting key areas of land designated as village greens could go before a public inquiry.
The Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) scheme along the old railway tracks through Gosport and Fareham has already had work partially halted pending the outcome of a court hearing.

Now residents are looking to completely derail the scheme.

Applications ha
ve been made to turn two parcels of land - one between Woodside and Fareham Road, and the other off Tichborne Way - into village greens.

Residents must prove that the land has been used by the public for at least 20 years.

If given the go-ahead village green status means the land can only be used for recreation purposes - preventing it from being used as part of the proposed new bus route.

Hampshire County Council's planning committee will consider the plans on Thursday.

But the council officers have recommended holding a public inquiry.

Gerard Lidgey, spokesman for the Bus Rapid Transport Action Group, is hoping to make presentations to the committee on both applications.

He said: 'The majority of people who live adjacent to the railway line are against the BRT.

'I would like them to play it fair and give us an inquiry, otherwise we're prepared to go to the High Court.'

Hampshire County Council needs to have the work on the controversial project finished by March next year or lose the £20m government grant.

Numerous residents have written to the county council explaining how they have used the areas for dog-walking and playing games on for decades.

But in the report Hampshire County Council officers said evidence of recreational activities on the two sites was 'trivial and sporadic.'

Residents living along the track say the BRT will disrupt their homes and wildlife.

Campaigner Vivian Morge has taken the council to court. An appeal is set to take place next month.

Councillor Ken Thornber, the leader of Hampshire County Council, was unavailable for comment.

But he has previously said he would not comment on the implications for the scheme from these applications ahead of any decision.

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  • Last Updated: 09 February 2010 8:43 AM
  • Source: The News
  • Location: Portsmouth
 
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1

Juggernaut,

09/02/2010 15:01:40
sigh...
2

grimbly,

09/02/2010 15:37:40
The NIMBYS are in full cry!
3

Whitters,

09/02/2010 15:54:58
I would try to amke a humourous comment, but it would only be reported unsuitable.
4

Johnny ,

Fareham 09/02/2010 15:57:30
As I've said before, playing the environmental card has always been the socially acceptable way of throwing your toys around having lost your way. These constant attempts to see some sort of environmental protection forced through only prove this.

That doesn't change my view on the project (I'll still take any excuse to stop it), but I'd much rather see it blocked for a decent reason.
5

Gosport Con,

09/02/2010 18:15:40
Isn't the Action Group spokesman, Mr Gerard Lidgey, also the Joint Chairman of Gosport Council's Standards Board?

Surely a conflict of interest?

By his ridiculous posterings against the long-awaited and widely-supported BRT scheme, Mr Lidgey has demonstrated he is completely unsuitable for his other role overseeing Gosport Council's high moral standards.

I hope my Conservative colleagues will remove him from this post without further delay.
6

Hampshire Bus,

11/02/2010 09:29:38
I wonder what would happen if suddenly X million pounds were found to build a railway line again - would people still be claiming to "walk their dog, or play ball on the greens"?
7

Barlow,

11/02/2010 13:53:23
At least a railway would take us somewhere useful by connecting at Fareham to Portsmouth, Southampton, London, Bristol, Cardiff, Salisbury, Brighton, Basingstoke etc.

How many extra people will use the bus?
8

hampshire hog,

Gosport 11/02/2010 17:01:17
Pathetic, the only word that I can think of that is appropriate.
9

andy cow,

gosport 11/02/2010 18:09:15
the buses are not used now all it will be is a road out of gosport that will NOT! work and the money could reopen haslar for the troops that need it
10

alsoasolentman,

16/02/2010 05:37:34
Surely to be deemed a village green the land in question has to ba at least public property. Apart from one, all the residents living in the properties backing on to the land between Woodside and Fareham Road have purchased this land. It is therefore out of the equation as far as a village green designation.
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