A TOWN living in fear of road and rail gridlock if a huge port development goes ahead on the shores of Southampton Water last night signalled its objection to the plans.

Totton is just a short distance from the Dibden Bay development proposed by Southampton Docks owner Associated British Ports and would be on the direct route of the vast majority of cars, lorries and trains serving the project.

And after around 380 people had turned up at Testwood School to attend a protest meeting called by the action group Residents Against Dibden Bay Port, the vast majority raised their hands in opposition to the scheme.

But unlike the previous meetings at Marchwood, Hythe and Fawley, where no one had raised an arm in favour of the project, there was one solitary hand supporting it and a small number of people said they were undecided.

Major fears were expressed, however, about the effect that the port could have on the town's traffic and railway level crossing.

It was pointed out by New Forest District Council's Dibden Bay liaison officer Simon Trueick that traffic going to, from and past Totton was likely to increase by around 15 cent with an additional 4,600 vehicle movements on top of the present 29,000 two-way total on the A326.

While stressing that the council had not yet finalised its view on the scheme, he added that because of 48 new goods trains serving the port daily, Totton level crossing would be closed 38 per cent of the time.

Totton's Hampshire County councillor, Edith Randall, put the future figure at around 12 hours, with the crossing already closed 150 times a day, in addition to the noise and disturbance for trackside residents.

Totton Town and New Forest District councillor Robin Harrison went for a slightly similar figure, but added: "If they manage to start a passenger service on the Fawley branch line, the gates will be closed for more than half the time."

New Forest East MP Doctor Julian Lewis pointed out that he was the first sitting Member of Parliament to live in Totton for around 150 years and had already had his journeys affected by recent northbound road repair closures on the A326.

"How long the new road will last in the unlikely event of this coming to fruition is open to supposition," he said.

And Residents Against Dibden Bay Port chairman Paul Vickers told the meeting: "I find that the best way to go through Totton is early or not at all.

"And I dread to think what it would be like with an extra 4,600 vehicles," he said.