Marchwood Parish Council

01/09/2026

24/08/2026

Information from NFDC
A31 to reopen on Saturday 22 August
We continue to support the multi-agency response to the wildfire that started near the A31 on 9 August.

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service is leading the emergency response, and National Highways is responsible for repairs to the A31.

National Highways has this evening announced that the A31 will reopen to motorists tomorrow morning (Saturday 22 August 2026). Timings will be confirmed on their website.

· A 40mph speed limit will be in place on the eastbound carriageway and
· A 50mph speed limit will be in place on westbound carriageway, and one lane will remain closed to allow fire services to safely exit their compound during their continued presence on site.
· Lay-bys will remain closed

The fire-affected land remains hazardous, with areas of ground still very hot – do not enter areas that remain closed or cordoned off.

Reduce the risk of fires
Please remember that lighting fires of any type, such as BBQs and outdoor cooking facilities, are banned in the Forest under a Public Spaces Protection Order.
https://newforest.gov.uk/PSPO

Protect yourself, others, and the environment by:

· packing a picnic instead of a barbeque
· making sure ci******es are put out and disposed of properly
· taking your rubbish home and disposing of it correctly
· not starting campfires in the countryside

If there is an immediate risk to life or property, please call 999.

Government measures, announced on Friday 14 August, to restrict the sale of disposable barbecues nationally, will add further protection against wildfire risk in the New Forest alongside an existing Public Spaces Protection Order.

https://www.newforest.gov.uk/article/4297/Government-ban-on-disposable-barbecue-sales-strengthens-New-Forest-wildfire-prevention
Find more fire safety advice on Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service’s website.
https://www.hantsfire.gov.uk/safety/safety-outdoors-wildfires/

You can share your views through Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service’s ‘Your Service, Your Say’ people’s panel. Sign up to take part in surveys, focus groups and feedback sessions.
https://www.hantsfire.gov.uk/your-service-your-say-help-us/

Our services over the August bank holiday
The next bank holiday is on Monday 31 August 2026.

There are no planned changes to recycling and rubbish collections over the bank holiday. Please present your waste as usual.

You can check your normal collection day on our website.
https://www.newforest.gov.uk/findyourcollection

The A31 closure and resulting traffic congestion, along with other operational demands, are affecting some collection rounds. If we miss your collection we apologise. We’re working hard to keep collections moving and, where a collection is missed, we will return when possible. You can report a missed collection on our website.
https://newforest.gov.uk/MissedCollections

Our information offices and customer services will be closed on the bank holiday and over the weekend, but you can access many of our services on our website.
See our emergency contact information.
https://www.newforest.gov.uk/contact
Saving water
Due to prolonged dry weather, areas of the district covered by Southern Water are still under a temporary hose pipe ban, whilst other areas in the district covered by Bournemouth Water have been asked to reduce water consumption to help with demand.

Southern Water advises you can save water by:

· taking shorter showers
· turning off the tap while brushing your teeth
· only running washing machines and dishwashers when full and using eco mode where available
· keeping a jug of drinking water in the fridge instead of running the tap until it turns cold
· checking regularly for leaks
· washing fruit and vegetables in a bowl rather than under running water

Southern Water advises that using water wisely can help protect local water supplies and the environment and may help lower your water and energy bills. This is especially important during periods of warmer, drier weather, when demand for water is higher.

Find out more about the restrictions, the areas covered, and more water saving advice on Southern Water’s website.
https://www.southernwater.co.uk/

Community Lottery
The New Forest Community Lottery has already raised over £20,000 for local good causes since it started in September 2025.

With 90 organisations taking part and nearly 1,000 tickets sold every week, it’s an easy way to support the groups that make a real difference in our communities.

Join today to support local charities, clubs and community groups. Tickets cost just £1 and 60p from every ticket goes directly to your chosen cause.
Find out how to take part in the community lottery.
https://www.newforestcommunitylottery.co.uk/

Healthy Start support for children
If you are pregnant, or have a child under 4, you may be able to get help buying food and milk as part of the NHS Healthy Start scheme.

As part of the scheme, you get a pre-paid card which can be used to buy milk, fruit, vegetables, infant formula, and pulses. You can also use it to collect vitamins for you and your child.

Find out more and check eligibility on the NHS website.
https://www.healthystart.nhs.uk/

Get help to buy food and milk Get help to buy food and milk(the Healthy Start scheme) What is Healthy Start? If you’re more than 10 weeks pregnant or have a child under 4, you may be entitled to get help to buy healthy food and milk. If you’re eligible, you’ll be sent a Healthy Start card with...

18/08/2026

https://www.healthandwellbeingwpcn.co.uk/watersidehealthbus
Starting Monday 21st September 2026

18/08/2026

Set of keys found at LLoyd Recreation Ground. If you have lost some please contact the Parish Council office in the Village Hall. [email protected] 02380 860273.

12/08/2026

New Forest District Council Update

Ongoing fire incident near A31

We are continuing to support the multi-agency response to the ongoing heathland fire near the A31 (Picket Post) in the New Forest.

Emergency services remain on site and are working to contain the fire and protect nearby communities, wildlife and habitats.

Firefighters have worked throughout the night and continue to tackle the fire. The incident remains ongoing and a large number of partner organisations are supporting the multi-agency response.

Find the latest updates about the A31 heathland fire incident on Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service’s website.

A31 road closure and travel information

The A31 remains closed in both directions while emergency services continue to operate in the area. Road closures are expected to remain in place for at least the next 48 hours.

National Highways has assessed damage caused by the fire, and significant repairs will be needed to the road surface, safety barriers and boundary fencing before the road can reopen.

Please avoid the affected area. Plan any travel ahead, allow extra time for your journey, and follow the latest information from National Highways.
https://nationalhighways.co.uk/roads-and-travel/live-travel-updates/travel-alerts/a31-hampshire-both-directions-fire-road-closed-between-m27-j2-and-a338/

Drivers are also reminded to stick to the speed limits on local roads and be aware of the New Forest’s free-roaming animals.

Several Forestry England car parks remain closed, and the cycle network is also closed in affected areas. You can see an update from Forestry England and a full list of closures on their website.
https://www.forestryengland.uk/new-forest/where-we-are-working

Please do not enter cordoned-off areas or attempt to access land affected by the fire.

We will continue to share updates as more information becomes available and encourage residents to follow official channels for the latest advice and information.

A message from Cllr Jill Cleary, Leader of NFDC

Council officers continue to support the multi-agency response to the ongoing fire incident and the safety of residents, visitors, emergency service personnel and everyone working to manage the incident remains the priority.

We know the fire and the closure of the A31 have caused disruption for residents and those travelling through the area. We are grateful for everyone’s patience and understanding while the response continues and Council Leader, Cllr Jill Cleary, has issued a statement:

“My thanks and gratitude go to everyone working tirelessly to respond to this incident, keep our communities safe, and minimise the impact on our unique environment and wildlife.

This is a challenging situation, and the continued cooperation between all the organisations involved is hugely important. Our role as the local council is to support the emergency response, help protect our communities and ensure we are prepared to respond if circumstances change.

The New Forest is a very special place, and the heathland affected by this fire is internationally important, supporting rare wildlife and habitats. I know the priority for everyone involved is to bring the fire under control as safely as possible and protect this precious part of the Forest.”

You can read the full statement and read more about how we're supporting the A31 response on our website.
https://newforest.gov.uk/article/4289/Support-continues-in-A31-heathland-fire-response

Please continue to follow official advice, avoid affected areas and plan journeys carefully. Do not put yourself or emergency responders at risk by attempting to access areas where emergency operations are taking place.

We will continue to share updates as the situation develops.
https://newforest.gov.uk/article/4288/A31-road-closure-fire-incident-latest-update

Help prevent wildfires

Although the A31 fire was caused by a vehicle fire, with wildfires becoming more common we are reminding people that a PSPO (Public Spaces Protection Order) is in place across areas of the New Forest which prohibits lighting fires of any type or using barbecues and temporary outdoor cooking equipment. The order has recently been extended until 2029.

The New Forest is particularly vulnerable to wildfire during hot, dry weather. A few simple precautions can make a big difference in helping to protect our heathland, wildlife, livestock, homes and communities.

Please help keep the Forest safe by:

· not lighting fires or using barbecues when visiting the Forest

· making sure ci******es are completely extinguished and disposing of them properly

· never leaving any fire unattended

· taking all litter home with you, particularly glass which can magnify sunlight

If you see a fire, move to a safe place and call 999, giving the location as accurately as you can. Consider using what3words, https://what3words.com/pretty.needed.chill which allows you to share an exact location. Please don’t put yourself at risk by trying to tackle it yourself.

Thank you for helping to protect this special place and keeping residents, visitors, wildlife and animals safe.

Be prepared evacuation advice

Following the incidents we have seen in the New Forest this week, we thought it would be helpful to re-share some long-standing advice about being prepared for emergencies.

There are many different situations that could mean you need to leave your home at short notice, and taking a few simple steps now can make things easier if you ever need to leave quickly.

Consider preparing a small emergency or ‘grab bag’ and keeping it somewhere that is easy to reach. This could include:

· essential medication, plus details of your prescriptions

· glasses or other essential personal items

· a mobile phone and charger or power bank

· keys, wallet and important contact details

· a torch and spare batteries

· basic toiletries and sanitary supplies

· some bottled water and snacks

· warm clothing or a blanket.

If you have babies or young children, remember to include things they may need, such as baby food, nappies, formula, medicines, favourite comfort items and a change of clothes.

It can also be useful to agree a simple household plan, including how you would contact each other and where you would meet if you became separated.

If emergency services ever ask you to evacuate, follow their instructions and leave promptly and calmly. Take your emergency bag, pets if it is safe to do so, and listen to official advice about where to go.

https://hiowprepared.org.uk/

Waste and recycling collections update

We’re asking residents to please bear with us as we plan for possible disruption to some waste collections.

All crews are out today (Wednesday 12 August) and the majority of collections are taking place. However, the A31 closure and resulting traffic congestion are affecting collection rounds, while the current and forecast hot weather is also expected to put additional pressure on the service into the rest of the week.

We’re working hard to keep collections moving and, where a collection is missed, we will return where operationally possible.

If your collection has been missed, please report it on our website so we can make arrangements to return.
https://newforest.gov.uk/MissedCollections

Thank you for your patience and understanding while we deal with these pressures.

Due to the high temperatures and an amber heat-health alert, waste and recycling collections will start earlier than usual from Wednesday 12 August to Friday 14 August. During this time, please put your bins out by 5am on your collection day.

If you normally receive an early collection, consider putting bins out the evening before, ideally no earlier than 6pm.

This applies to all waste collections, including household waste, recycling, glass, garden waste, business waste, and healthcare waste.

Staying safe in warmer weather

With temperatures remaining high, and with an amber heat-health alert in place this week, it’s important to take extra steps to stay safe.

Please take care of yourself and others, particularly older people, young children, and anyone who may be more vulnerable to the effects of hot weather.

Keep hydrated, stay out of the hottest part of the day where possible and check on friends, family and neighbours who may need extra support if you are able.

https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/seasonal-health/heatwave-how-to-cope-in-hot-weather/

Solar eclipse – Wednesday 12 August

On Wednesday 12 August 2026, a partial solar eclipse will be visible across the UK, with around 90% of the Sun covered at its maximum in many parts of the country.

The eclipse will take place as the sun is setting, so you’ll need a clear view towards the western horizon.

If you want to view the eclipse directly, use proper solar eclipse glasses carrying the relevant safety certification, or use a safe projection method. Never look directly at the sun. Ordinary sunglasses are not safe.

The Royal Observatory Greenwich is also providing a free livestream.
https://ukhsa.blog.gov.uk/2026/07/23/how-to-watch-the-solar-eclipse-safely-this-summer/
https://www.rmg.co.uk/whats-on/online/solar-eclipse-august-2026-uk-live-stream

Boomtown Festival this week

Boomtown takes place at Matterley Estate near Wi******er from 12 to 16 August.

If you’re travelling in or around the Wi******er area, expect increased traffic and allow extra time for your journey.

Festival organisers are encouraging visitors to use public transport, coaches and car sharing where possible.
https://www.boomtownfair.co.uk/

10/08/2026

A31 FIRE AND TRAVEL UPDATE — MONDAY 10 AUGUST
The A31 remains closed in both directions between the M27 and the Ringwood area following a vehicle fire near Poulner Hill, which spread into the central reservation and surrounding heathland.
Hampshire Roads Policing reported that the closure extends from the M27 to Ringwood. Firefighters worked throughout the night, and 10 fire engines and 10 off-road vehicles remain at the scene this morning in challenging conditions.
A high-volume pumping system is also being laid across Ringwood to supply water to the fire. Please do not drive over any fire-service hoses, as damage could interrupt the water supply.
Although the smoke has reduced significantly, the fire is not yet under control and the A31 remains closed. There is currently no confirmed reopening time. The fire service has said that no properties need to be evacuated at present.
Alternative routes are extremely busy, with significant delays through Lyndhurst and Fordingbridge in particular. Please avoid the area and postpone non-essential journeys if possible. If you must travel, allow considerably more time, follow official diversion signs and do not rely on smaller forest roads as shortcuts.
Please share this information with anyone who may be travelling through the New Forest today.
Official update: https://www.hantsfire.gov.uk/.../a31-closed-following.../

03/08/2026

Southern Water
An update on our work to protect bathing waters in Hampshire
With 700 miles of coastline and 88 designated bathing waters across Southern Water’s region, we know we have a key role to help improve water quality.

Water quality is influenced by many factors and collaboration is crucial. That's why we're working alongside councils, regulators, environmental organisations, and local communities to help protect and improve your bathing waters.

Ahead of the busy August holiday season, we wanted to share with you some of the collaborative work we’re doing to try and improve bathing water quality and the investment being made across Hampshire.

Bathing waters across our region

Across Southern Water’s region, we now have 88 designated bathing waters, up from 87 last year.

89% of these are now rated either Good or Excellent, up from 84% in 2024. Over the last year, we’ve seen nine sites improve their classification, a positive step forward for coastlines across the area.

Hampshire is home to 13 bathing water sites and this year 12 have been classified as Good or Excellent, with one as Poor.

There are many factors which can impact bathing water quality, including leaking assets, blockages, illegally connected private pipework to surface water drains, and the influence of storm overflows. Other sources outside of our control include highway, industrial and agricultural run-off, wildlife, beach and water users.

Bathing Water Improvement Plan in Hampshire

Bathing water quality in Hampshire is very good, with all but one of the designated bathing waters currently classified as Good or Excellent.

However, we’re working hard to improve Southsea East, as well as Hillhead, with dedicated improvement plans. We’re progressing with detailed CCTV investigations of our sewer network, water‑quality sampling, sewer lining and on‑the‑ground checks to pinpoint and address potential sources of impact.

A Bathing Water Improvement Plan prioritises key locations for targeted work and follow-up tracking and monitoring of progress.

Building partnerships with councils, partners and passionate local community groups is vital when trying to improve bathing water quality together.

As part of our improvement plan investigations, these partnerships have been key in recent months, as we have:

Completed pre-bathing water season checks at our wastewater sites ensuring they are working as they should. We also regularly monitor our assets throughout the year to catch issues before they become a problem.

Doubled the size of our Illegal Connections team, allowing us to find and fix these issues quicker.

Trialling new surface water quality monitoring to help us better understand how roadside and farmland runoff impact bathing water quality and how we can address it.

In partnership with Portsmouth City Council, later this year, we'll be rolling out our Yellow Fish campaign in Southsea. This campaign reminds the public, that only rain belongs down surface water drains

We’re using CCTV investigations to find problems in the network and fix these through a dedicated sewer rehabilitation programme.

Ongoing CCTV investigations to find problems in the sewer network and fix these through a dedicated sewer rehabilitation programme

We've recently surveyed all three piers in Hampshire and carried out necessary repairs. At the moment no further piers require improvement work, but we'll check them again early next year.

We’re carrying out year-round water quality monitoring across Hampshire to better understand what’s affecting bathing waters.

We’re also supporting community groups with testing kits and trialling real-time monitoring buoys, which provide live water quality data and help us respond more quickly to issues

We’re funding solar powered waste bins along the coastline to encourage residents and visitors to dispose of their rubbish correctly, instead of leaving it to find its way into the sea.

Increasing bathing water awareness

The operational improvements and investigations mentioned above are crucial when trying to protect our precious coastline, but education and awareness of the role we can all play is equally important.

For the busy summer holiday season, we’re launching a bathing water communications campaign across our region, with a particular focus on six locations – one of which is Southsea.

Our aim for this campaign is to:

Educate on bathing water and update on investment, infrastructure and operational work to help maintain beaches

Strengthen customer trust by highlighting progress and commitments to local communities and coastal destinations

Try to influence behaviour change, encouraging local people and tourists to play an active role in protecting coastal environments through responsible habits like disposing of litter/dog waste correctly and knowing what to pour down the drain

Launching very soon, we’ll be sending direct communications to customers, revamping the Hampshire bathing water section on our website, increased social media content and local news stories. Any support in sharing these key messages would be appreciated.

What are we doing to clean up rivers and seas?

Analysis shows that storm overflow releases do not always impact bathing water quality – only 12% of less than satisfactory water quality samples taken in 2025 were within 72 hours of a storm overflow release. However, we are working extremely hard to reduce them and in the first year of our £1.5bn Clean Rivers and Seas Plan, we helped prevent 700 storm overflows across our region.

Our plan outlines when and where we are investing to reduce storm overflow releases, aimed at improving water quality across our region by 2035.

While we’re working hard to reduce storm overflow releases, transparency when we do have a release is crucial. Rivers and Seas Watch, which was built in partnership with digital experts and a working group, provides near real-time information on all of our coastal and inland outfalls and provides alerts on storm overflow activity.

Investment in Hampshire

We are now one year into our most ambitious business plan yet, and we’re investing £341 million between 2025-30 across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight to reduce the number of storm overflow releases.

We’re taking a hybrid approach by combining nature-based solutions, infrastructure upgrades and cutting-edge AI – with many of our planned interventions using green, nature-based solutions.

We know we have a long way to go but our initiatives are having a positive impact.

See our website for some of the successful interventions so far.

If you would like any more details on our bathing water improvement plans, the work we’re doing to reduce storm overflow releases or on our upcoming bathing water communications campaign, please do get in touch.

03/08/2026

Bus operator Bluestar will be extending Service 9 by introducing two additional late evening journeys on Friday and Saturday nights. The enhanced service, which will be known as the Nightstar N9, will commence at the beginning of September.
The N9 will broadly follow the existing Bluestar 9 route, with additional routing via Marchwood.

https://www.southampton.gov.uk/travel-transport/getting-around-southampton/getting-around/public-transport/bus-service-updates/

https://www.bluestarbus.co.uk/timetable-improvements-sunday-30-august

https://bustimes.org/services/9-southampton-hythe-fawley-langley?date=2026-09-04&service=84079%3AN9

NEW routes, strengthened connections, reliability updates and more...

30/07/2026

M3 Junction 9 Closures and Long term slip road closure

⚠️ M3 JUNCTION 9 – MAJOR CLOSURES AND LONG-TERM SLIP-ROAD CLOSURE

A reminder that National Highways has confirmed a series of overnight and full-weekend closures as work continues on the M3 Junction 9 improvement scheme.

The most significant change is the closure of the M3 Junction 9 northbound entry slip road from 9pm on Friday 31 July 2026 until winter 2027.

During this period, drivers will not be able to join the M3 northbound from the Junction 9 roundabout and will need to follow the signed diversion route.

Upcoming overnight closures, from 8pm to 6am, include:

• M3 northbound, Junction 10 to Junction 9: Thursday 23 to Thursday 30 July and Tuesday 4 to Tuesday 11 August, excluding weekends.

• Sections of the Junction 9 roundabout between the A34 northbound and southbound: Monday 20 to Saturday 25 July and Tuesday 4 to Saturday 8 August.

• M3 southbound, Junction 8 to Junction 9: Thursday 30 July and Monday 3 August.

• M3 northbound, Junction 10 to Junction 8: Monday 3 August.

There will also be three major full-weekend closures:

• 9pm Friday 31 July to 6am Monday 3 August
• 9pm Friday 21 August to 6am Monday 24 August
• 9pm Friday 11 September to 6am Monday 14 September

During these weekends, closures will affect:

• A34 southbound from Bullington Cross
• A34 northbound to Three Maids Hill, including the A33 northbound
• A33 southbound from the Cart and Horses junction
• Easton Lane in both directions at Easton Lane Roundabout
• A272 in both directions from the Spitfire Roundabout
• All M3 Junction 9 northbound and southbound entry and exit slip roads

These closures will cause significant disruption, particularly during the full weekends. Please allow additional time, plan your journey carefully and follow the signed diversion routes rather than relying on satnav.

I will continue to share updates from National Highways as the work progresses.

29/07/2026

Village News Distributors needed to deliver our magazine 3 times a year. Would you be able to help deliver to any of the following Roads in Marchwood ?

Sandpiper Close - 29 Houses
St Johns Drive - 23 Houses
Dapple Place - 16 Houses

Please contact the Parish Council Office on 02380 860273 or [email protected]