70% of households have two or more cars. At home, 82% park their car(s) within the grounds of their property while l4% use a lock-up garage or parking place further off; 4% park on the highway.
Of those adults that are employed or self-employed, 22% work mainly from home and 25% work in Beaulieu. Some 40% reported that they did not use motor transport to get to work but walked or cycled.
75% of respondents travel to the village from their homes by car but 70% would or might consider walking more if footpaths were improved and made safer. For example, there is no good wheelchair/buggy access into the village centre at present either from Hatchett Pond or from Hill Top (see Action Plan Projects 11 and 14 ). 61% of respondents never use a bicycle for local journeys; however, those that do would like to see some safer routes. (See Action Plan Projects 11 and 13 .) Crossing the road safely is also a difficulty, particularly outside the Montagu Arms Hotel and opposite the Church.
87% of respondents never use the bus. If the service was more regular, however, 27% thought they would use it to go to Southampton and 14% to go to Brockenhurst, 74% of respondents would not be interested in an organised car share scheme.
At a meeting with local businesses there was a suggestion that a 'green' bus that linked the village with Buckler's Hard, the Museum Complex and surrounding areas would be an asset. (See Action Plan Projects 20 and 21 .)
Some would like to see the 30mph speed limit extended to Hilltop, to Hatchet Gate or even to Buckler's Hard. The questionnaire asked specifically about speed within the village; a 20 mph limit in the High Street was favoured by 84% of respondents. (See Action Plan Project 15 .)
62% of respondents park in the High Street when visiting the village, with 28% using the car park. About 48% feel that there is enough parking, but about 45% feel that it is inadequate. It was suggested that more parking could be found in the field opposite Fairweather's and adjacent to the hairdressers, or in the field at the end of Fire Station Lane. Whilst the Museum's car park is signposted from the exit of the village car park, 55% of respondents did not feel they would use a car park if it were to be sited out of the village. 79% would support limits on the duration of parking and 66 % thought that some form of permit scheme for High Street residents and business proprietors would be a good idea. 84% felt that parking charges should not be introduced in the High Street. (See Action Plan Project 17 .)
62% felt that there was too much traffic passing through Beaulieu, with 31% feeling that there sometimes was. 95% felt that if it became possible to ban lorries travelling through Beaulieu by providing an alternative route (for example if the road beneath the Ampress Bridge was lowered) they would be in favour. Proposals for gateway markings and bollards on the B3054 road approaching Beaulieu from Hilltop, to make a visual impact to help slow down traffic, have been drawn up, and 67% of respondents felt that these could or might possibly be a good idea (see Action Plan Projects 18 and 19 ), with a few suggesting that they might also be used on the road from Hatchett's Pond to Beaulieu.
A series of questions was asked about possible traffic calming measures. On the whole these measures were not very popular. Thus, 74% did not want traffic lights, and 54% did not want more humps, though opinion was more divided on additional signs in awkward spots. 69% did not feel that a roundabout at the T junction close to the garage was a good idea and 63% did not want to see permanent speed cameras installed anywhere in the Parish. In the case of more signposting at narrow bends, to warn traffic of likely large vehicles approaching, opinion was less clear although 37% were against it. However, in the case of permanent speed activated warning signs, 67% were in favour of them if the locations were right. (See Action Plan Project 18 .)
Parking should be managed with the needs of village residents, services and businesses taken into account. We need to free up parking space in the High Street to help maintain the viability of shops. In encouraging the use of the Village Hall, it would be helpful if visitors to the Hall were exempt from parking fees. Given the local parking on the fairly narrow High Street, HGVs could be banned except for local deliveries.