10 September 2015 Closure of Ringwood Road, Ferndown - now for the good news!
Residents will be glad to know that Bournemouth Water have reappraised their works on Ringwood Road. They have been able to achieve more works on the highway verge than originally anticipated which means that they have less work to do in the carriageway. Bournemouth Water will commence work, with the road closure as planned, at 08.00hrs on Sunday 13 September 2015. However, they will now open the road at 06.00hrs on Monday 14 September 2015.
10 September 2015 Work starts on A338
Work has started to rebuild the A338 Bournemouth Spur Road, the first of the Dorset Local Enterprise Partnership's (LEP) Growth Deal Projects to get underway.
The LEP's £79 million Dorset Growth Deal with central government combines local, national and private sector funding to put towards strategic projects and programmes that will support long term economic prosperity for all in Dorset.
The £22m A338 road project is part of the Bournemouth Airport Growth Programme, which aims to bring in to Dorset:
£52m private sector investment into the local economy
3,500 jobs by 2021 with up to a further 10,000 jobs created in the local economy by 2028
200 houses built by 2021, with a possible further 350 houses built by 2028
Dorset LEP Chairman, Gordon Page, said:
"The LEP works to drive and support a more prosperous future for your business, your family and your local area. Bournemouth Airport is a major economic asset for Dorset. It is currently expanding its operations with increased passengers through Flybe airlines and the development of the Aviation Park to provide new, high quality business premises. Without the proper infrastructure, the airport will fail to reach its full economic potential and the local economy will suffer - something the LEP is not prepared to see happen. The A338 renewal will help achieve enhanced access to employment sites, allow more jobs to be created, support better housing and enable the improvement and sustainability of our local economy."
The A338 road works form part of a wider package of transport schemes funded by the LEP that are designed to improve infrastructure, unlock and unblock key housing and employment sites, create more highly skilled jobs, and support economic growth around Bournemouth Airport.
Councillor Peter Finney, Dorset County Council Cabinet member for Environment, said: "The A338 is over 40 years old and is in vital need of reconstruction if we are to keep this strategic route flowing into the south east conurbation. We'll be bringing the road up to current dual carriageway standards, improving drainage to solve flooding and 'ponding' problems, upgrading the central safety barrier to concrete and adding a 1m hard strip to give extra space for cars to move over for emergency vehicles, or in case of breakdowns - all of which will improve the reliability of the road.
"We're also extremely pleased to be recycling as much material as possible - with a compound operating on site to process the old material and prepare it for reuse in the new road structure. This will reduce the carbon footprint of the scheme and reduce the amount of vehicles coming to site."
Bournemouth Airport is one of a number of projects and programmes taken from the LEP's Strategic Economic Plan to secure Growth Deal funding. Collectively, these projects are estimated to create 26,000 new jobs, 3,000 new homes, and generate £650 million public and private investment for Dorset between 2015 -2021.
8 September 2015 West Parley Garden Competition winners announced
Pat Couper (right) with garden competition winners
The annual Front and Rear garden competition winners were announced last week at a reception at Parley Country Club. Pat Couper, the competition organiser, handed out the trophy and prize for the winning garden at 114 Dorset Avenue to Valerie Briggs, who also won the rear garden competition.
The event was sponsored by West Parley Residents Association and judged by 2 local RHS judges. Once again the standard of the entries was very high and the judges had a difficult job in picking the winners.
Some of the competition entries were seen by judges of the South and South East in Bloom competition.
Marilyn Baynham won the second prize for the front garden and third prize for the rear garden competition and Ann and John Smith won the third prize for the front and second prize for their rear garden.
8 September 2015 Community Awards presented
Parish Council Vice Chair Cllr Simon Jordan presents Stuart and Pat Couper with their Community Awards
The annual community awards were presented last week by West Parley Parish Council to 2 local residents who have made a significant contribution to the local community. Pat and Stuart Couper have led the work to improve the appearance of West Parley over the last few years. They organise the village weekly working groups that maintain the public spaces and plant and maintain the increasing number of vibrant flower displays in the verge planters and community areas.
They also co-ordinate the village entry into the annual South and South East in Bloom competition and the popular West Parley front and rear garden competitions.
Simon Jordan, Vice Chair of the Parish Council, presented the awards to Pat and Stuart for giving so much of their time and thanked them for all their efforts over the past few years as both volunteer co-ordinators and well respected Councillors on the Parish Council.
Pat and Stuart are moving to Somerset in the near future.
5 September 2015 Urgent - temporary road closure of Ringwood Road, Ferndown
Ringwood Road, Ferndown, just North of the Longham double mini roundabout will be closed from Sunday 13 Sept for 5 days for water repair work. Full information on the road closure.
4 September 2015 A338 rebuild - are you ready?
Drivers in and around Bournemouth are being reminded about major roadworks starting in the area this weekend.
Dorset County Council will start rebuilding the A338 Bournemouth Spur Road, between Ashley Heath and Blackwater, on Monday 7 September - with the dual carriageway down to one lane in each direction from 6am Monday.
Councillor Peter Finney, Dorset County Council Cabinet member for environment, said: "We know that the first day, and even the first few weeks, will be the most difficult while drivers find their new routine. The best way to ensure you get to your destination on time is to think carefully about the time you're travelling, the route you're taking or changing your mode of transport. At the very least, you should allow plenty of extra time for your journey."
Preparation work has been underway since January to get as much done as possible before construction. This work will intensify over the next two weeks as areas previously inaccessible due to traffic can now be worked in. The first two weeks of work will focus on removing any remaining trees obstructing the work, and installing traffic management, speed cameras and CCTV. The site compound will also be prepared with a new access road built for it.
The northbound carriageway will be closed from 8pm Sunday 6 September until 6am Monday 7 September. The southbound carriageway will be closed from 8pm Monday 7 September until 6am Tuesday 8 September.
Between 8 September and 12 September there will be overnight closures of the northbound carriageway from 8pm to 6am for resurfacing work north of the Blackwater junction.
Cllr Finney continued: "The compound will become an intrinsic part of the operation - where all the material will be recycled onsite and prepared for reuse - and the stretch of resurfacing we're doing is also essential to ensure the smooth running of the contraflow - helping the failing road to last a few more months more before we rebuild it."
The northbound carriageway will also be closed overnight on 18 and 19 September from 8pm to 6am and a full road closure will be in place on 20 September 8pm to 6am to change the traffic management layout. From Monday 21 September the contraflow will be in place on the northbound carriageway.
We have been contacted by a lady who lost her bracelet in West Parley yesterday, near the shopping parade.
If any kind soul has found it, could you please get in touch, so that we can reunite it with its owner.
3 September 2015 West Parley Volunteer Awards 2015
West Parley Parish Council held its annual reception at Parley Country Club on 3rd September to thank all the village volunteers for their help over the last year. Well over 100 local residents give up their time to litter pick, plant and maintain floral displays and deliver regular parish newsletters. Weekly working parties improve the look of the village by grass cutting, tree planting, verge trimming and improving public spaces. Volunteers also help with local social events and ground maintenance at the Country Club and provide a local car transport scheme.
The annual Community Award was presented to Pat and Stuart Couper who have led the work to improve the appearance of West Parley over the last few years. They organise the village weekly working groups that maintain the public spaces and plant and maintain the increasing number of vibrant flower displays in the verge planters and community areas.
They also co-ordinate the village entry into the annual South and South East in Bloom competition and the popular West Parley front and rear garden competitions.
Pat Couper later presented this years trophy and prize for the winning garden at 114 Dorset Avenue to Valerie Briggs, who also won the rear garden competition.
The event was sponsored by West Parley Residents Association and judged by 2 local RHS judges. Once again the standard of the entries was very high and the judges had a difficult job in picking the winners.
Some of the competition entries were seen by judges of the South and South East in Bloom competition.
Marilyn Baynham won the second prize for the front garden and third prize for the rear garden competition and Anne and John Smith won the third prize for the front and second prize for their rear garden.
Volunteer of the Year award vouchers were presented to Marianne Parker, Brian Miles and Peter Gill who had given so much of their time over the past year.
