You recently reported Councillor Tod defending the decision to close Andover Road.

As I recall, the original plan for Barton Farm included more playing fields for the expanded intake at Henry Beaufort School, to be accessed by a footbridge over the Andover Road to avoid accidents. Since building works started the 1km stretch of Andover Road which Councillor Tod wants to block has acquired traffic lights at the junctions with Manley Road and Winchester Avenue and a puffin crossing to connect Barton Farm with the footpath from Henry Beaufort School.

Your article noted that Winchester Avenue is currently not fit for purpose. It is half a kilometre short of what is needed and diverted traffic would zig-zag through Kings Barton and close to Barton Farm Primary School. As well as taking normal traffic there would also be traffic diverted off the A34 when there is an accident, vehicles avoiding the A34 when M3 Junction 9 at Winnall is being reconstructed and school run traffic from outside King’s Barton. Plus there will be parked vehicles and road works along the route. Were the residents who paid fancy prices for their new houses warned about this? Winchester Avenue is filled with traffic-calming bumps and a 10mph speed limit. Some diversion! 

Twice a week I see ambulances heading along Andover Road to or from the A34 to emergencies and accidents north of Winchester as far as Andover and Whitchurch. Their nearest A&E is Winchester. “Every minute counts”, as they say. But Councillor Tod will send them on a longer and slower route. 

But we might just end up with a good old British compromise and do nothing. Andover Road serves, in effect, as the Harestock-Weeke Bypass. It serves as the Barton Farm/ King’s Barton Bypass too. If Councillor Tod extends the cycleway from South Wonston to Andover Road through King’s Barton then there will be ample provision for the few cyclists who I see riding along Andover Road now. I can count them on the finger of one finger most times that I go into Winchester by car or bus. 

Chistopher Sharratt, 

Waverkey Drive,

South Wonston 

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