SIR – It appears that HCC/TVBC have at last realised that the design they selected after Public Consultation, has serious flaws as they are in the process of making significant design changes.

There is a risk of pedestrians jaywalking across the area in front of the Town Hall, where traffic will be approaching from multiple directions.

A semi-continuous line of railings, bollards and planters has been added around the south side of the piazza area and the Nat West corner. However, barriers will detract from the open vista arrangement which was a key aesthetic objective. Romsey is well known for parades; in the past these have normally been routed westwards up the Hundred and anti-clockwise around the Palmerston Statue.

To allow this to continue, many of the barriers, planters and fixed seating would have to be removable.

Loading Bays have been added for commercial vehicles delivering to businesses on the north side. These would involve reversing manoeuvres which were specifically identified as being dangerous in the Conceptual Safety Audit report of January 2016.

The area available for an outdoor café is reduced; the fixed seating would restrict the positioning of loose tables and chairs. An outdoor market would no longer be practical as there would be insufficient space due to added obstruction of trees, benches and cycle racks. Stall owners would not be able to position their vehicles alongside in order to unload their goods.

The cumulative effect of the above changes is that the design would directly contravene the strategy document published by HCC/TVBC in February 2016. The numerous safety concerns regarding traffic flows, which we have already identified in previous articles in the Romsey Advertiser, have still not been resolved.

The councils have had plenty of time to RETHINK their approach but have adamantly refused to do so despite considerable public opposition. They surely must now face the reality that their scheme is impractical for both pedestrians and vehicles.

We have written to Councillor Humby of HCC, arguing that such a significant revision to the proposed design invalidates the previous consultation process and that it should be repeated to allow the public to consider all practical options including a circus arrangement.

RE-THINK ROMSEY MARKET PLACE

rethinkromseymarketplace@gmail.com