Upcoming Railway Engineering Work – Saturday 28 March to Thursday 2 April 2026 between Havant, Fareham and Portsmouth Harbour

/in /by

Railway engineers will be completing signalling and track upgrades in the Portsmouth Area this Easter.

Buses will replace trains between Havant, Fareham and Portsmouth Harbour from Saturday 28 March to Thursday 2 April while the work takes place.

This latest phase will see an additional £120 million invested on the Portsmouth Direct Line. When the programme is completed in 2028, signalling will move from the Havant Area Signalling Centre and be controlled from the Basingstoke Rail Operating Centre. This will allow better communication between signallers and help the railway respond more quickly to incidents.

The work follows completion of the first phase of the Portsmouth Direct line which completed in 2025 and saw £129 million invested to upgrade signalling between Farncombe and Petersfield.

What work is taking place during the line closure

Network Rail is upgrading the signalling system in the Havant and Portsmouth area because some of the existing equipment is reaching the end of its life and is more prone to faults. In the past 12 months alone, signalling failures in the area have caused over 18,500 delay minutes.

During the six-day line closure engineers will carry out a range of improvements including:

  • repairs to cable troughing between Farlington and Cosham to better protect signalling equipment
  • structural repairs to Portcreek Viaduct, which connects the mainland with Portsmouth on the Isle of Portsea
  • renewing 48 wheel timbers through Platform 2 at Portsmouth & Southsea station
  • replacing a further 14 wheel timbers outside Portsmouth Harbour station
  • tamping work to improve track alignment through the Portsmouth area

In total, engineers will carry out around 1,378 hours of work during the blockade.

Changes to train services

During the works, train services will change as follows:

South Western Railway trains to and from Portsmouth Harbour will start or end at Havant or Fareham.

Southern trains to and from Portsmouth Harbour will start or end at Havant. Services to Portsmouth & Southsea will go to Bognor Regis instead. Southern trains between Brighton and Southampton will run as normal.

Great Western Railway trains to and from Portsmouth Harbour will start or end at Fareham.

Replacement buses will run as follows:

  • five buses per hour between Havant and Portsmouth Harbour, calling at Bedhampton, Hilsea, Fratton and Portsmouth & Southsea
  • two buses per hour between Fareham and Portsmouth Harbour, calling at Portchester, Cosham, Hilsea, Fratton and Portsmouth & Southsea

Further line closures are planned around the late May Bank Holiday, with engineers returning again later in the autumn. More details will be announced closer to the time.

More information about the Portsmouth Direct Line upgrade can be found at: https://www.networkrail.co.uk/our-work/our-routes/wessex/portsmouth-direct-upgrade/

 

Sunshine, Teamwork & 40 Bags Later… Thank You, Litter Heroes!

/in /by

A huge thank you to all our wonderful litter pickers who joined us on Saturday 14th March.

Your energy, good humour, and commitment made a real difference to the village, and we were especially grateful that the sunshine decided to join us too. It was the perfect backdrop for a morning spent tidying, chatting, and working together for our community.

A special thank you goes to G20 Group for keeping our volunteers fuelled with hot tea and coffee — very much appreciated by all our hard workers.

Together, we cleared over 40 bags of rubbish and prepared our planting areas for what promises to be a beautiful spring ahead. It was a fantastic team effort, and the village is looking brighter thanks to you.

Thank you again to everyone who took part. Your contribution truly matters.

Grayshott Annual Assembly – 1 May 2026

/in /by

Grayshott’s Annual Parish Assembly takes place on Friday 1 May 2026, bringing residents together to discuss parish matters and hear updates from the Parish Council.

From 6pm, local community groups will showcase how their activities support healthy living, with opportunities for residents to get involved.

The formal meeting begins at 7pm, chaired by Parish Council Chairman Nigel Harrison, who will report on the Council’s work over the past year. A major highlight is the £200,000 redevelopment of the Grayshott skate park, completed in December 2025 with support from EHDC, Waverley Borough Council and the Community Lottery Fund.

Guest speakers from East Hampshire District Council and Grayshott Surgery will also share how they are supporting physical, mental and social wellbeing across the parish.

All residents are welcome to attend and take part.

selective focus photography of brown and black butterfly flying near blooming purple petaled flowers

Volunteers Needed at Green Farm, Farnham

/in /by

5 pieces of banknotes on yellow and white textile

Hampshire County Council agrees 2026/27 budget

/in /by
Read more

See you tomorrow for the Great Grayshott Tidy Up!

/in /by

see you tomorrow, Saturday, 14 March, for the Great Grayshott Tidy Up! we’d love to see as many residents as possible join in. It’s a simple, friendly way to make a visible difference to the places we all enjoy, and it’s always a lovely mix of families, neighbours and first‑time volunteers.

We’ll be meeting at Grayshott Village Square at 10am for a quick check‑in before heading out in small groups. The session runs until 12pm, and you’re welcome to stay for the whole time or just drop in for as long as you can spare.

Litter‑picking equipment will be provided, and you’re encouraged to bring gloves and wear suitable outdoor clothing. If you have any gardening hand tools you’re happy to use, feel free to bring them along — they’re especially helpful for tidying up edges and small green spaces.

Taking part is a great way to support the village, meet new people, and help keep our shared spaces looking their best as spring arrives. Every pair of hands makes a difference.

Great Grayshott Tidy Up – Next Weekend!

/in /by

Grayshott’s annual village litter pick returns next Saturday, 14 March, and we’d love to see as many residents as possible join in. It’s a simple, friendly way to make a visible difference to the places we all enjoy, and it’s always a lovely mix of families, neighbours and first‑time volunteers.

We’ll be meeting at Grayshott Village Square at 10am for a quick check‑in before heading out in small groups. The session runs until 12pm, and you’re welcome to stay for the whole time or just drop in for as long as you can spare.

Litter‑picking equipment will be provided, and you’re encouraged to bring gloves and wear suitable outdoor clothing. If you have any gardening hand tools you’re happy to use, feel free to bring them along — they’re especially helpful for tidying up edges and small green spaces.

Taking part is a great way to support the village, meet new people, and help keep our shared spaces looking their best as spring arrives. Every pair of hands makes a difference

A message from EHDC: Want to see better local infrastructure and more community facilities?

/in /by

Charities, councils and community organisations can apply funding from developer contributions to help deliver local improvements.

When new developments are built, house builders provide financial contributions that are collected into a dedicated fund pot. These funds are then used to help improve local facilities and services.

Groups and organisations can apply for this funding to support projects that help balance the impact of new development on the surrounding area.

This essential funding ensures that growth benefits the whole community, and brings long-term benefits to the people who live there.

In recent years, developer contributions have helped deliver a wide variety of community projects, including improved village halls, leisure centre upgrades, nursery and school facilities, new play areas and many other valuable local initiatives.

Find out more about developer contributions and how to apply

EHDC: Prudent planning protects services and delivers investment

/in /by

Money made available for car parks and communities despite drop in Government funding 

Sound financial planning has allowed East Hampshire District Council to continue to invest in services, infrastructure and community support despite a sharp drop in Government funding for next year. 

Prudent decisions in previous years have meant the council not only has the funding to protect its high-quality services but can also dedicate funds to improve car parks and to grants to enhance community cohesion. 

In December, the Government announced it would reduce its annual settlement to EHDC from £2.6 million to £2.2 million.  

Meanwhile EHDC’s share of the Council Tax remains lower than most comparable councils in the region. 

Cllr Charles Louisson, EHDC Portfolio Holder for Finance, said: “Although these remain extremely challenging times for local authorities, thanks to our forward-thinking financial strategy we are in an excellent position going into the next financial year. 

“Not only can we continue to operate our excellent services but we have funding available to actively invest in crucial local infrastructure. For example, we are setting aside £750,000 to enhance our local car parks, the gateway to the district for so many of our visitors. 

“Our increase in Council Tax of £5 a year means our share of the precept remains among the lowest in the area.”   

Cllr Richard Millard, EHDC Leader, said: “We have earmarked funding for community grants to support local organisations, community facilities and climate-related projects. 

“I am particularly proud to say that a further £150,000 has been put into the Leader’s Priority Budget, a pot of funding that will allow the council to back schemes that benefit residents across the district. 

“The financial picture for councils across the country is pretty bleak. Many are cutting back on services, very few have the money for community grants and a number are seeking exceptional Council Tax increases. I am proud to say that at EHDC we are sufficiently secure to be able to dedicate funds to directly supporting communities with grants and other funding opportunities.” 

EHDC is proposing a £5 annual increase to its share of Council Tax, bringing Council Tax for a Band D property to £156.92. Government rules allow district councils to increase their share of the precept by either £5 or by 3%, whichever is the greater. EHDC is one of very few district councils for which £5 is more than 3% of its annual precept. 

Budget bullets

EHDC’s 2026/2027 budget has been agreed. Where is the council spending its money and what does it mean for you? 

  • Car park upgrades – in total £750,000 will be invested in our car parks, a vital gateway for residents and visitors to East Hampshire 
  • Leader’s Priority Budget – a £150,000 fund controlled by EHDC Leader Cllr Richard Millard, intended to support communities across East Hamsphire 
  • Councillor Community Grant Scheme – Each councillor at EHDC is allocated £7,000 to support projects in their patch. 
  • Climate Change Fund – the council is setting aside a further £129,000 to support climate change initiatives  
  • £5 Council Tax increase – our share of Council Tax will increase by £5 a year, making EHDC’s Band D Council Tax £156.92 a year.

to sign up for updates from EHDC click here