Category: Hayling Billy restoration project

Articles relating to the ‘Hayling Billy restoration’ project

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Billy Trail re-opens following upgrade

The section at the north of the island is now open again, although all users are being asked to treat the new surface with respect while it is bedding in.

There’s also some more work to do that will not require the path to be closed, so please watch out for people working.

Peter Drury’s blog has some photos of the new section and some taken while it was under construction.

We are all hoping that this will prove to be an excellent development that will show the way for future Billy Trail improvements. We’ll be keeping an eye on it as time goes on.

Thanks – once again – are due to Peter Drury who has done so much to bring this about through his Hayling Billy 50 work. I’m sure he’d be the first to point out that it’s been a team effort involving Havant, Hampshire, National Lottery and a bunch of others.

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Work about to start at the North end of the Hayling Billy Trail?

The latest progress report on the bridge works (Works Progress 7: 16th April 2014 on this page) says…

We’ll then move off the road and work on the ‘Hayling Billly 50’ Trail rebuilding, completing everything by mid June.

That’s a reference to Lottery-funded project initiated by Peter Drury as part of the Hayling Billy 50 years commemoration.

It looks like something is definitely going to happen. We understand that the project will:

  • Use the same surface as recently laid at the south end of the Billy Trail
  • Resurface a limited section of the trail (and not, as hoped, as far as the Esso Garage)

We are concerned over the quality of recent cycle path development by both Havant and Hampshire so – at Peter’s request – I have documented our concerns with an offer to help. Peter has passed them to the project board.

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More cycle path improvements coming soon

The updated Hayling Cycle map published by Havant at http://www.havant.gov.uk/sites/default/files/documents/Back_FINAL.pdf reveals a number of developments planned to complete by Spring 2014:

  • Completion of the links between the Langstone section of the Billy Trail and the Hayling section making it possible to use off-road cycle paths to travel between West Town and Havant – with just a few road crossings.
  • Signposting of a cycle route to the west of Beachlands taking people onto Ferry Road to the East of the Golf Club.

We understand that there might be other developments taking place at the same time and that some work could be completed well before next Spring.

You can find the full list of Havant’s published cycle maps here.

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New money for Hayling’s leisure trails

We initially heard from Andy Leneghan that the Partnership for Urban South Hampshire (PUSH) had allocated £60K to improve access to leisure trails.

We’ve done some digging and Havant has confirmed that:

“£60,000 capital funding has been allocated to Havant Borough Council (HBC) by PUSH to improve access and connectivity to green infrastructure on Hayling Island through enhancements to the Billy Trail and the Seafront footpath/cycleway. HBC and Hampshire County Council will contribute S106 funding to match the PUSH grant which is to be spent on resurfacing work and provision of signage for both trails, including restoration of the old Billy Line signal arm. The work will be carried out during autumn/winter 2013/14 so it will be completed for Spring 2014.”

We’ll publish more details as we learn them.

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All clear (mostly) on the Billy Trail

The stones that made the South end of the Billy Trail difficult and potentially dangerous have been removed.

Cycle Hayling and several users of the Billy Trail raised concerns through a number of contacts, and they have been heard. There is a large pile of the stones in the car park next to HIADS. Hopefully they’ll be removed and not redeployed on the trail.

You should be aware, however, there are still some stones left on the trail. Some care is needed to avoid them.