SPEEDING motorists and HGVs negotiating narrow lanes have posed problems for residents in Bramshott over many years.

East Hampshire district councillor Angela Glass and Hampshire County councillor Floss Mitchell recently called a meeting with Hampshire County Council’s traffic management officer to discuss possible traffic calming measures for Bramshott.

They were looking at the possibility of installing white village gates in Bramshott to signpost more clearly to vehicles that they are entering the village. Currently a signs simply asks motorists to “drive carefully” through the village.

Mrs Mitchell said: “The gates are a commonly used measure to encourage vehicles to slow down. We also discussed changing the “Unsuitable for HGV” signage to a more modern and visually clearer version.”

Any such measures would have to be put in place under the “community funded initiative”, and would require funding from Bramshott and Liphook Parish Council or a local community fundraising group.

Mrs Mitchell added: “Once costings are available Mrs Glass and I will put together a proposal for the parish council to consider. We would also able to contribute to the cost through both our councillors’ grants budgets.”

Bramshott residents have been calling for speed limits for a number of years, with Church Road and Tunbridge Lane used as a “rat run” by motorists during rush hour, who are trying to avoid having to drive through Liphook Square.

The lanes are used as a short cut between Headley Road and London Road, allowing motorists access to the A3.

Mrs Glass said: “The white village gates would clearly indicate the entrance to Bramshott and we are also looking at introducing white lining on the road to indicate width restrictions.

“The problem with speeding and dangerous driving down narrow country lanes is getting worse and something needs to be done. We have foreign HGV’s regularly getting stuck in the lanes, which are highly unsuitable for large vehicles.

“There are no pavements, only on a short section of Church Road, and we have been trying to find a solution for the last three to four years, but it is a slow process. Bramshott currently does not have any speed limits, so nothing can be enforced.”

The local Speedwatch team found motorists were continuously speeding on all six major roads in and out of the centre of Liphook.

Last November, Bramshott and Liphook Parish Council agreed to petition Hampshire Highways for speed restrictions on two of the busiest main roads in and out of the village – Longmoor Road and London Road.

Councillors also agreed to re-implement four speed-limit reminder signs, which had been thought lost for several years. The signs were due to be deployed around 12 approved sites within the parish with fortnightly visits by specialist contractors Idverde who also mange the care of the cameras.