New Milton Advertiser 8th Jan 2021

2 · Friday 8th January 2021

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Extension for routes as FE told to get tough on cyclists

He said: “We are not dealing with family parties or small urban children, innocently straying off the permitted routes through a lack of understanding, but with gangs of hardcore bikers determined to ride where they please, disturbing the peace and cutting up the Forest.” Following a debate, the verderers agreed to a one-year extension to the waymarked cycle network. They warned Forestry England it would need to “toughen up” its ideas on tackling the problem before a further extension was agreed. Those in favour argued the proposal would create new jobs, benefit those living nearby, add competition, reduce food prices and benefit lower income families from Lymington who had limited access to discount supermarkets. The planning report acknowledged that some previous reasons for refusal – including the retail impact, design and materials, and contamination and landscaping concerns – had now been overcome.

Cycling network maps will also be updated this year and information will be included in the New Forest Essential Guide publication. It emerged Forestry England also hopes in future to increase the use of staff and volunteers to help manage cycling and improve signage in key locations, such as car parks. However, the plans for managing cycling were described as “feeble” by Verderers’ Court member Anthony Pasmore, writing in his New Forest Notes column in the A&T last week. approved, and New Milton Residents’ Association also wrote in support, stating that 65% of its members backed the scheme compared with 29% opposed. The application received 61 responses from the public with 50 of those in favour and 11 against. Concerns included traffic problems in Caird Avenue, the impact on New Milton town centre, litter and a lack of environmentally sustainable features.

Some would also be asked to complete questionnaires to gauge their understanding of where cycling is permitted. Mr Rothnie continued that Forestry England will also work with cycle hire shops and local cycling organisations to encourage responsible riding. He revealed that by using GPS and other data, targeted ranger patrols will be planned at hotspots for off-track cycling. This information will enable Forestry England to fully assess any damage to the environment, leading to potential additional signage where necessary. cyclists

FE Deputy Surveyor Bruce Rothnie outlined an action plan to “mitigate” and “manage” the impact on the New Forest. It includes communicating messages about responsible cycling on the national park authority and Forestry England websites and through targeted social media posts. He said both NPA and Forestry England rangers would continue to patrol on foot and bicycles to engage with cyclists, asking them to stick to permitted routes, and explaining why off-track cycling is damaging to the environment.

verderers during negotiations would involve recruiting volunteers and engaging cycle hire shops. The verderers warned that any further extension beyond the 12 months would require FE to “toughen up” its ideas on the issue. As reported in the A&T, before agreeing to any extension the verderers demanded further details on how Forestry England will tackle off-track cycling amid claims it is disturbing wildlife and damaging habitats. During the December meeting of the Verderers’ Court,

Verderers concerned about damage caused to wildlife habitats

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FORESTRY England has been granted a year’s extension to keep open approved New Forest cycle routes after the verderers demanded increased efforts to tackle “out of control” cycling. FE, which had requested three years, said part of the action plan presented to

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Aldi store bid Continued from front page

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– as part of NFDC’s Local Plan, the keystone document for development in the district up to 2036. This means the application must satisfy a “sequential test” and show Caird Avenue is the most suitable spot for the area’s needs. New Milton Town Council recommended the plans be

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what we can say – except to just keep repeating the same message to drivers: please slow down and expect to meet livestock on the roads day and night. “They do not have road sense or any awareness of the dangers, so it is up to the drivers to change their behaviour.” After the crash which killed the ponies on Roger Penny Way, police tweeted a photograph of the badly damaged vehicle, which had to be recovered from tial can remain open, including pharmacies, DIY stores, petrol stations, funeral directors, dry cleaners, building merchants, banks and post offices, market stalls selling vital items, and garden centres. Because of the huge impact another lockdown will have on already ailing industries, such as retail, hospitality and leisure – which are prominent in the New Forest – Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced a new £4.6bn aid package. It will allow firms in those industries the chance to apply to their local council for grants worth £4,000, £6,000 or £9,000, depending on their rateable value. The government will also make £594m of further help available nationally to local au- thorities to support other busi- nesses not eligible. NFDC has said it is waiting for more de- tails and guidance, and would update firms. But Anthony Climpson, chief executive of local tourism group Go New Forest, said the pack- age would be “of little help in real terms” to many local firms. They were already “severe- ly distressed by the significant burden of their existing debt”, he said, and despite the fur- lough scheme it was “impossi- ble” to see how they would find funds to cover each month’s National Insurance and pen- sion contributions while being closed.   Mr Climpson called on the In the BCP Council area, which includes Christchurch, there were four deaths reported too, also with two in care homes and two in hospital. The total fatalities for the area comes to 328. The provisional figures from the ONS related to instances where Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate up to 25th December but which were registered up to 2nd January this year. Also on Tuesday the number of weekly new cases in the BCP Council conurbation more than doubled from 865 to 1,986. That increased the case

the scene. Hampshire Rural Policing Inspector Korine Bishop said: “Tragic as this incident is, this is a timely reminder to the residents of, and those driving through, the New Forest to be aware of your surroun- dings. “There is a maximum speed limit of 40mph applied across the area and, as such, motorists are advised to adapt their speed to the current driving conditions.” government to fund a new tour- ismgrant, extendBusiness Rate Relief for 12 months, set VAT permanently at 5% for tourism firms, use Visit Britain’s extra marketing grant to support destination management, and create a parliamentary team to produce a long-term plan. The benefits of those propos - als relied on the firms still being there to pay back what they have borrowed, hopefully dur- ing a 2021 “staycation” summer boom, he added. He said: “The cost in time and money to establish com- pletely new commercial entities from the ashes of the current in- dustry not only makes no sense, it renders all the deprivation and effort of the last 10 months meaningless, which would be a travesty of unimaginable pro- portions.” Matthew Lawson, chair of the New Forest Business Part- nership (NFBP), pointed out some firms have been closed for around eight of the last 12 months. “An economic disaster of this scale needs urgent additional grant support to avoid unnec- essary business failure and job losses,” he said. “NFBP continues to offer business support to all local businesses and I hope local res- idents will shop local and help New Forest businesses to sur- vive.” The Hampshire Helpline is available on 0333 370 4000. rate from 218 to 502.4. By comparison, the worst affected area nationally on Tuesday for new weekly cases was Birmingham, with 6,009. The worst rate per 100,000 was the London borough of Barking and Dagenham on 1,496.4. The infection figures are for the numbers of people with at least one lab-confirmed positive Covid-19 test result in the preceding seven-day period. On the same day across the UK, the number of daily new Covid-19 cases totalled 60,916, according to Public Health England.

Animal deaths Continued from front page

dent was a very sad end to the yearforusandparticularlyforAn- drew [Napthine], who also dealt with the deaths of the three donkeys just a couple of weeks ago. “It was awful for the common- er and no doubt very upsetting for the driver of the vehicle. “It is difficult to know exactly

Lockdown reaction Continued from front page

indoor areas including visitor centres. This week it was revealed more than 2,500 people in the New Forest and BCP Council area tested positive for Cov- id-19 over seven days, amid ris- ing national rates. The spike prompted Univer- sity Hospital Dorset NHS Uni- versity Trust, which oversees the Royal Bournemouth and Christchurch hospitals, to urge people to keep attending ap- pointments but only use A&E for life-threatening situations. Hampshire County Council leader Cllr Keith Mans and his New Forest District Council counterpart, Cllr Barry Rick- man, both called on the public to abide by lockdown rules. Cllr Rickman said: “We must once again all pull together and stay home, protect the NHS, and save lives. I know our resi- dents are following the rules to keep the area safe, and again I implore you all to stay home as much as you possibly can.  “Keep looking out for your neighbours and please, please let’s get this beaten. Get your vaccine when you are contact- ed by the NHS, and get a test if you have any symptoms – a high temperature, a new continuous cough, a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste.” Businesses classed as essen- The seven-day number of new positive tests in the New Forest District Council area rose to 547 on Tuesday – up from 264 a week before. It means the district has a case rate of 303.7 per 100,000 people. Last Tuesday the number was 146.6. There have been four new Covid-19 deaths in the New Forest, according to the latest weekly update from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Two were in a care home and two in hospital. It puts the death toll in the

Four new Covid deaths in Forest as infections grow CORONAVIRUS cases in the New Forest more than dou- bled over a week, according to government figures. district since the start of the pandemic at 160.

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