The public inquiry into Associated British Ports' plans for a new port complex at Dibden Bay promises to be one of the most contentious ever seen in the south. Today we examine the transport issues.

The case against...

WATERSIDE gridlock has been forecast by groups and individuals who have registered their protests against plans for Dibden Bay port.

The main site for the bay, between Hythe and Marchwood, has just one main road in and that same road out - and the fears of objectors to the scheme do not end there.

Heavy use of train traffic is also planned there and Totton residents fear their town centre will be subjected to even more hold-ups on either side of the notorious Totton level crossing.

At Hythe, the parish council has expressed a concern that huge container ships turning just a short distance from Hythe Pier could affect the time taken by the Hythe-Southampton ferry to reach Town Quay.

The biggest worry, though, is about the road which is already heavily congested with lorries and workers' cars travelling to and from the huge Fawley petro-chemical complex.

In addition, with a population of around 40,000 people living in the parishes of Marchwood, Hythe and Fawley, there is heavy commuter and shopping traffic going in the opposite directions.

Hampshire County Council has revealed that around 32,000 vehicles travel along the stretch between Marchwood and West Totton every day. That figure is set to rise to an estimated 41,400 if the terminal becomes fully operational.

Hythe's Hampshire County Councillor Brian Dash is very concerned.

"If you look at the difference between the present figure and the projected one, you are talking about an extra vehicle coming on to the road every ten seconds," he said.

"God knows what impact that would have and that doesn't take account of the additional traffic using the M3. It is already pretty solid in the morning.

"The prospect of Waterside gridlock looks likely and that could be very worrying for people who don't like being late for work. We are talking about extra time for travelling and extra stress. It is just not fair,"

On the railway line, ABP is forecasting an additional 44 trains - 22 each way - per day in addition to the current 14 daily movements on the Fawley branch line. The biggest problem point in the area is Totton's notorious Junction Road level crossing - on the main Waterloo to Weymouth line - and Totton Councillor Robin Harrison carried out a detailed study of the existing traffic.

There are predictions that some of the Dibden Bay trains will be 500 metres long and Mr Harrison was quick to suggest that "ABP have fiddled the numbers to make the impact of their trains on Junction Road look smaller."

He said: "They say the gates will have to be closed for one minute and 40 seconds while one of their trains passes. My measurements show the real time is three minutes and six seconds, almost twice as much.

"A difference of one minute and 26 seconds may not seem a lot, but they are threatening us with 48 trains a day and that means the gates will be closed for more than an hour longer each day than they say."

Councillor Harrison added: "When I carried out those studies I was very surprised how many people going along that road were mums with pushchairs.

"There were also people in wheelchairs who were unable to use the footbridge."

Also, congestion on the water has not been ruled out, with Hythe and Dibden Parish Council expressing fears that the Hythe to Southampton ferry could face hold-ups when huge container ships arrive or leave.

The case for...

Key features that will ease the flow of traffic

ANEW ferry service linking Southampton city centre and the Waterside together with an extensive park-and-ride scheme are key features of the planned Dibden Terminal, says Associated British Ports.

They are just two of the proposals contained in APB's application to construct a container port on an area of reclaimed land opposite Southampton Docks.

Another cornerstone of the application is that the traffic generated by the terminal will have "no significant impact'' on local roads in the surrounding area.

To encourage a reduction in the number of cars travelling to and from the terminal a new ferry service is planned for use by employees and members of the public.

"It is also proposed to provide a park-and- ride car park adjacent to the proposed terminal access road/A326 junction, to complement the proposed ferry service,'' said an ABP spokesman.

"The provision of a new integrated park- and-ride and ferry service will provide a significant new opportunity to encourage public use of water transport in preference to the private car.''

ABP maintains that less than half of the total containers passing through the terminal will travel by road.

"They will be transported along an upgraded A326 road, before linking directly to the motorway network just six miles away,'' said the spokesman.

"Around 30 per cent of goods arriving by sea will leave by sea on feeder ships for destinations elsewhere in Europe.

"Of the remainder with a UK origin or destination, 35 per cent will arrive and depart by rail on one of 24 dedicated freight trains running daily in each direction. They will leave the site and link in with the neighbouring Fawley branch line before joining the main rail network a couple of miles away.''

According to ABP, the results of an in- depth assessment show that, when the terminal is fully operational in 2011, port traffic will only contribute about ten per cent of total traffic on the A326.

"ABP has already committed itself to making a significant and appropriate contribution to road improvements designed to fit in with Hampshire County Council's local transport policy,'' said the spokes-man.

"This will involve widening a stretch of the A326 to ten metres, a new port access road and junction improvements including signalisation to keep port traffic away from local communities. Proposals for the A326 will improve road safety for both freight and other road users along the corridor.

"In particular, the movement of pedestrians and cyclists across the A326 between Marchwood and the New Forest will be improved by the modification of existing priority junctions to fully signalised junctions.

"The assessment concludes that terminal -generated traffic and the proposed terminal access road will have no significant impact on local roads in the Waterside area.''

An investigation of the impact of the additional rail movements on the nearby rail network suggests the Fawley branch line has sufficient capacity to accommodate the extra trains from the terminal.

"Some improvements will eventually be required to the track at the point where the Fawley branch line joins the main line at Totton to cope with longer freight trains,'' said the ABP spokesman.

"Full automatic barriers and closed circuit television cameras at some crossings on the Fawley branch line will be provided where required to meet safety standards.

"Cycleways will be provided to encourage employees living locally to cycle to work and a Green Transport Plan will be implemented to ensure that alternatives to the car are available to all workers.''