Pay to drive the Spur Road? It would be a disaster, say businesses (From Thisisdorset)
When news happens send us your pictures, video and views. Text BE to 80360 or contact us by email
Pay to drive the Spur Road? It would be a disaster, say businesses
8:56am Monday 19th November 2012 in News
BUSINESSES have slammed the idea of turning Bournemouth’s Spur Road into a toll road to help fund essential repairs.
Christchurch MP Chris Chope made the suggestion last week after claiming more radical ideas need to be considered to find the £26million to pay for the urgent work.
The resurfacing of Bournemouth’s main artery was supposed to begin in September 2010 but the funding from the Department of Transport was pulled due to budget cuts.
Nigel Hedges, president of Bournemouth Chamber of Trade and Commerce, said a toll road would be hugely damaging for businesses in the town.
“We know how it affects business and tourism when there’s an accident on this road.
“People will say: ‘I am not going to pay it’ and will look at other ways of getting to town.
“They will go on the already congested suburbs of Ferndown and Barrack Road in Christchurch. We will have a road with light traffic on it and every other single carriageway jammed.
“The A338 is Bournemouth’s lifeblood.
“From Bournemouth chamber’s point of view, we just couldn’t contemplate it.
“In purely scientific terms it makes total sense to charge people to use a facility but people will always try and find a way around it.”
Peter Matthews, manager of Castlepoint shopping centre in Bournemouth, said: “I am amazed that someone could consider that a major artery into Bournemouth for tourism, as well as for business and people who live here, should be tolled.
“I would understand if it was a relief road made especially to get people in and out of town but this is a primary artery.”
Turning the A338 Spur Road into a toll road would also have a huge impact on those travelling to Bournemouth Airport, but a spokesman for the airport declined to comment.
Mike Francis, strategy and policy officer on Bournemouth Tourism Management Board said: “It would be completely against all our tourism ideas to welcome people into the town.
“People would drive right on past. It would be a disaster.”
Comments(13)
Telscombe Cliffy
says...
9:14am Mon 19 Nov 12
By all means build a new, second spur road as a toll road though. -Especially one which links the places people want to go on it's route, such as Castle point to the airport then avoiding Blackwater on to a junction with the A31(east of the bottlenecks of Ashley Heath and A338 junction etc.) at Picket Post.
Ps Spur road needs 3 lanes now between Blackwater and Cooper Dean flyover and complete dualling Cooperdean to Castlepoint.
tryinghard1234
says...
9:18am Mon 19 Nov 12
saynomore
says...
9:35am Mon 19 Nov 12
The Renegade Master
says...
9:43am Mon 19 Nov 12
The people of Christchurch must be shocked that they voted this buffoon into Parliament in the first place! If he had an ounce of self respect he would resign immediately. That's unlikely to happen though as we fund his very comfortable lifestyle while he contributes nothing to the electorate he purports to serve.
RESIGN CHOPE. Do it today.
John T
says...
9:55am Mon 19 Nov 12
HRH of Boscombe
says...
10:01am Mon 19 Nov 12
aerolover wrote:I think you'll find that's changed. You pay an emissions charge.
We pay road tax and fuel tax, that should be enough to cover repairs to this road. We shouldn't have to pay more.
.
I like the idea. Most people will pay it rather than use the Matchams road and I can't see a couple of quid toll putting visitors and tourists off.
Jetwasher
says...
10:29am Mon 19 Nov 12
Glashen
says...
10:30am Mon 19 Nov 12
HRH of Boscombe wrote:Even if you were right,how long would it be before other roads in need of repair had a toll imposed on them. This proposal flies in the face of government policy and is frankly nonsense. One good thing maybe just maybe it wil make other
aerolover wrote:I think you'll find that's changed. You pay an emissions charge.
We pay road tax and fuel tax, that should be enough to cover repairs to this road. We shouldn't have to pay more.
.
I like the idea. Most people will pay it rather than use the Matchams road and I can't see a couple of quid toll putting visitors and tourists off.
Christchurch voters realise how out of touch Christopher Chope is and vote a decent MP in.
Jetwasher
says...
10:37am Mon 19 Nov 12
John T
says...
10:42am Mon 19 Nov 12
Jetwasher wrote:The pompous Chope the Dope is not merely a councillor. He is the MP for Christchurch and was the Minister responsible for steering the poll tax through Parliament before he became a Minister for Transport.
I wouldn't worry about it just a crazy idea from a councillor that hasn't got a clue. People wouldn't vote or put up with this nonsense.
Thankfully, his talents have been ignored by the present occupant of No.10., so now he spends most of his time lolling back on his taxpayer expense-funded Chesterfield sofa thinking up crackpot ideas!
BmthNewshound
says...
11:52am Mon 19 Nov 12
.
Getting government funding is all about politics - if Bournemouth and Christchurch were marginal seats the MP's would have to work a lot harder and would be more likely to win funding to buy votes. For as long as Bournemouth and Christchurch are seen as safe seats the towns will be bottom of the list to receive funding from central government.
BarrHumbug
says...
12:36pm Mon 19 Nov 12
As for Chris Chope's idea of only charging visitors, how many does he think come here from outside of Hampshire and Dorset? Certainly not enough to cover the cost of the resurfacing and continued upkeep, that's for sure. Perhaps if this and past councils had spent money on the roads upkeep rather than just ignoring it and hoping the problem goes away then by now we would have had a newly resurfaced carriageway?
The IMAX and Reef and surf pods mess would have funded two lanes alone!
aerolover says...
9:09am Mon 19 Nov 12