Lyndhurst traders, already reeling from parking charges, fear Bank Holiday bottleneck chaos looms for their village.

In the latest traffic-calming move, chunks of concrete have been laid on the edge of the road through the centre of Lyndhurst and two lanes are being squeezed into one.

The three-week trial scheme is being monitored and Hampshire highways experts will compare video monitoring of the effect on traffic with film taken before the narrowing was introduced.

The effect in the first few days has been described been described by some residents and traders as "chaos" as queues have built up on the New Forest capital's southern, western and northern approach routes. Traffic also tailed back up the High Street from the pedestrian lights near the car park exit.

Lyndhurst Chamber of Trade member Tom Miles said he accepted efforts were being made to calm the traffic.

Mr Miles, landlord of the Fox and Hounds pub, has already seen a lot of "near prangs" and watched the queues back up the street when people try to turn from the single lane into the village car parks.

Schemes suggested by Mr Miles include a roundabout at Goose Green and a two-way Gosport Lane taking Ashurst, Totton and Southampton-bound traffic along the eastern edge. He also believes one of the two north-bound one-way roads of Chapel Lane and Shrubbs Hill Road could be made south-bound to take Brockenhurst and Lymington-bound traffic away from the High Street. Hampshire's western area surveyor Alan Giles said: "I would say there is some merit in his idea and it is worth looking at."

But he added he could foresee some complications, particularly at the eastern end of the High Street where southbound traffic turning right would be meeting north-bound vehicles turning to their right.

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