Maria has launched a Parliamentary Petition “Basingstoke Residents Against Motorway Service Areas” to demonstrate residents’ concerns about two separate proposals for new motorway service areas on the M3 around Basingstoke.
The proposed services at Black Dam are currently being considered by the local authority, while the proposal for Hatch Warren has not yet been submitted for planning approval, with details expected to go out for a second round of public consultation in late April/May. Basingstoke residents have highlighted to Maria the significant environmental and road traffic concerns that both developments raise. Road safety is a considerable concern, both at the proposed Moto services at Black Dam, where traffic would need to exit the motorway at junction 6 to access the services, and also at the proposed Applegreen services at Hatch Warren, which would mean no fewer than three motorway junctions within the space of three miles. The Hatch Warren services would also entail a potential encroachment on a residential area by a motorway flyover to access the opposite side.
Maria said: “Tens of millions of taxpayers’ money has been spent to improve our roads, and our sewage works have been upgraded to cope with new housing. All the improvements are put in jeopardy by these two commercial proposals, which were not called for in our Local Plan.”
“Very many residents have told me of their considerable concerns about these proposals, and that they are simply not needed, given that the existing services at Fleet and Winchester are only 23 miles apart.”
Maria is encouraging residents to sign the petition to express their concerns about the proposed motorway service areas.
Due to Parliamentary rules a hard copy of the petition must be signed rather than any online version. Copies of the petition can be downloaded below, and posted to Maria at House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA. Signed copies need to reach Maria by Monday 16 April, after which Maria will formally present the petition in Parliament.
