Roadworks mean diversion for the X5
X5 Buses from Fareham to Stubbington will be diverted for up to 10 weeks, starting on February 4.
This is because of the partial closure of Peak Lane for roadworks.
It will mean disruption for many passengers - but not as bad as it might have been, thanks to the Lib Dem Focus team.
Southbound buses from Fareham will turn right on to the bypass at the Peak Lane traffic lights, then come down Titchfield Road to the village. As far as we know, northbound buse to Fareham will use Mays Lane as normal.
There will be temporary bus stops in Titchfield Road.
First's original plan was to send buses via the eastern part of the bypass into Gosport Road. We asked Lib Dem Councillor Chrissie Bainbridge to point out to First that this would give many passengers a long walk home from the village.
Their amended route will at least help some residents in the Green Road / St Marys Road area.
Goodbye green fields
Work is well advanced on the 200-home Persimmon estate in Oakcroft Lane. Many homes are close to completion, and bulldozed earth where we used to walk in green fields show where more will soon follow.
Fareham's Local Plan allowed the building of this large estate, as well as potentially more than 1,000 homes at Newlands Farm, east of Peak Lane.
Both sites are in Stubbington ward, and in the Strategic Gap, and your LIb Dem team consistently opposed applications in these areas.
Just for the record ...
In leaflets delivered before the elections in May 2021, Conservative candidate Pal Hayre pledged:
"If elected, I will oppose and vote against further building in Stubbington - the infrastructure simply isn't there."
She was duly elected ... and here's what happened:
From the minutes of Fareham Borough Council meeting, June 7, 2021:
Having been duly proposed and seconded, and upon being put to the vote, the recommendations (a) to (d) of the Revised Publication Local Plan Consultationreport were CARRIED with Councillors I Bastable, Mrs S M Bayford, F Birkett,Miss J Bull, T M Cartwright, Mrs L E Clubley, M R Daniells, P J Davies, T Davies, S Dugan, Mrs T Ellis, J Englefield, M J Ford, N Gregory, Miss T Harper, Mrs P Hayre, Mrs C L A Hockley, Mrs K Mandry, S D Martin, Ms S Pankhurst, N J Walker, Mrs S Walker and S D T Woodward voting in favour ... and Councillors J Forrest, G Kelly, Mrs J Kelly, R H Price and Mrs K K Trott voting against.
Tories and Independents caved in and supported building in the Strategic Gap: Lib Dems stuck to their guns and continued to oppose it.
See the Summer edition of our Focus newsletter
In this issue:
No place for bikes at the beach
Confusion at roundabout approaches