**Congestion on Alma Road at the Waitrose/car park entrance - TVBC working on a solution, including having purchased the house adjacent to the entrance**
I'm sorry that over the Christmas period the problems encountered on Alma Road as a result of traffic queuing to get into Waitrose have returned. They were a regular feature before the pandemic, but had eased in the last couple of years.
I have recieved complaints, as I know have other councillors. I wasn't around when the planning permission was given for Waitrose so can't explain why this wasn't anticipated.
I have received complaints, as I know have ot and Hampshire Highways teams to look at solutions. They designed a scheme that created an additional lane running into the car park which would make access to the car park easier and create additional capacity by way of a feeder lane into Waitrose, hopefully decreasing the times the queue stretches out onto Alma Road.
I can reassure you though that there are plans drawn up and ready to go to create a wider entrance, which will also include a pedestrian refuge half way across the entrance so it's safe for those walking along Alma Road. We just need Waitrose to agree - we (TVBC) have purchased the house at the entrance which provides the additional land to allow it to happen.
The full detail is here:
Conversations have been ongoing with Waitrose to ask them to allow free movement in and out of their car park in the short term. They feel the only way to ensure the car park is not over capacity at busy periods is to put the barrier in place and require a ticket, even if it is no longer checked upon exit.
Therefore I asked Test Valley Borough Council and Hampshire Highways teams to look at solutions. They designed a scheme which created an additional lane running into the car park which would make access to the car park easier and create additional capacity by way of a feeder lane into Waitrose, hopefully decreasing the times the queue stretches out onto Alma Road.
In order for that to work there needs to be a pedestrian refuge built at the entrance to allow safe passage for pedestrians across three lanes of traffic. Most importantly, a small piece of land would need to be taken from the house adjacent to the entrance, the wall removed and the planting and verge reduce to allow for a new vehicle lane and relocated footpath.
So, when the house adjacent to the entrance came up for sale, TVBC's Cabinet agreed for the Council to purchase the house. That property is now in Council ownership (and rented out to obtain income) which will enable the necessary land to be available when needed.
Funding for the work would be found largely from developer infrastructure contributions.
Waitrose own the land alongside the road and at the moment we are still negotiating with them to give up the land to create the second lane into the store and car park. Further meetings are scheduled with Waitrose in the New Year. I will keep you up to date with progress.
We are essentially now in Waitrose's hands as to our ability to progress the scheme.