HVS Ideas for Traffic Calming in Hurst

Do you have views on traffic in Hurst?
HVS are asking residents to support and influence a new traffic calming strategy for the village

Hurst is a rural village, but proximity to growing urban areas makes it a frequent cut-through for motorists in a hurry.  Speed limits fluctuate widely across the village and even some of our own residents fail to observe them.

A lot of work has been done by the Parish Council and Wokingham Borough Council to try to reduce speeding including the use of speed cameras and vehicle activated signs on some key roads.  However, this has had limited success and we feel there is a need to create a long-term, coherent plan for the Village as a whole.  HVS propose a Traffic Calming Strategy consisting of:

• A Framework

• Traffic Calming Measures

The framework is to enable the introduction of coherent, consistent and progressive traffic calming measures.  Each element of the strategy will require full open debate and formal approval with all stakeholders.

The strategy has been presented to the Parish Council to obtain their buy-in so that we could all work together with Wokingham Borough Council to ensure that there is a long term, strategic plan to influence decision making over the next few years.

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To deliver the overall HVS Strategy, it is proposed that Wokingham Borough Council redirect part of existing spending, request more, and supplement it from other sources. As well as improving the village well-being and making it safer, there should also be a reduction in the need for police presence and police enforcement measures.

Our thoughts so far, and a call for your views

Motorists do not appear to recognise they are in a village and therefore they do not treat the roads with due respect when it comes to moderating their speed.  To address this perception, HVS overarching concept is to emphasise to road users that this is a village. To reinforce the message, it is proposed that speed limits should be harmonised across the village.  HVS believe that consistent speed limits and coherent signage on all road approaches should reinforce the message to drivers that they are entering a “village area”.  Not all influencers need be traffic measures, creative thought is imperative to give the village more of a feel that it has a centre.

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After considerable debate, our suggestion is to adopt a Traffic Management Framework based on three “layers” of consistent but progressive messaging as the driver progresses from the outer boundaries of Hurst towards the centre.

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• Outer Layer: Drivers pass “Information Measures” such as a set of ‘Village Gates’, messaging makes it clear that they are entering a speed restricted area. 

• Middle Layer: Drivers pass “Calming Measures”, such as vehicle activated signs or chicanes, to reinforce the message that they are now in the speed restricted area.

• Inner Layer:  the heart of the Village, where drivers encounter “Restrictive Measures” such as cameras, one-way systems, painted road humps, rumble strips.  All options dependent on the views and sentiment of the residents. 

The Hurst Parish Council are continually trying to resolve individual incidents, case by case, however the HVS proposal is to create a long term holistic framework containing a blank sheet of paper to enable the village to decide what measures they would like to see.  The position and size of each layer is subject to agreement with all stakeholders and the strategy cannot be progressed until this essential planning activity is completed.   Once the framework has been approved, the selection of which traffic measures should be installed at which location would be coordinated by an implementation working group.

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Download presentation made to HPC on Tuesday 7th December 2021

Please support our initiative and contribute to the debate about how we can improve the scourge of speeding motorists in our village.