Archive for 'All Posts'
Rides for Everyone – Sunday 26th June
June 26, 2011 by Paul Luton, under All Posts.
Beating the Bounds of Richmond borough – circumnavigate the whole borough by bicycle in one day
where the local community would walk all around the parish, to witness and reinforce its boundaries in days before maps, and to pray for blessings on the land contained within them.
This is a ride in two parts: like the borough itself it will be split by the river. The morning ride takes in the western part of the borough from Twickenham via Crane Park to Hampton Court and back along the Thames. The afternoon ride takes in Ham, Richmond Park, Barnes and Kew and is mostly off-road, so is ideally suited to beginners, families and those less confident on the road. Shorter routes back to Richmond will be available during the afternoon if anyone wants to join us for a smaller loop.
Six of us set off at the unheard of time of 9.00 on a warm Sunday Morning. Bryony led us up the Crane where if forms our northern boundary and down it where it is the southern one. We saw a swan’s nest as we crossed the Longford River in Hampton and then ventured across the Thames by ferry. After coffee in Hampton Court tiltyard we followed the Thames back to Richmond.
In the afternoon four of us cycled south past Petersham Meadow and Ham Lands before following the Kingston boundary into Richmond Park. A short excursion outside Kingston Gate found an ice-cream van with a wondrous selection of flavours. Thus refreshed we tacked the steep climb and exciting descent to Beverly Brook which we followed to the Thames. The Thames Path back to Richmond was pleasantly shaded. Pity about the bone-shaking surface past Kew.
The ride was part of Bryony Evens challenge to ride all the London Borough boundaries:
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Good-bye-laws, hello stands
June 24, 2011 by nick, under All Posts, Campaign, Consultation, Cycling Liaison Group Meeting, Location.
1. Byelaws
A recent article in the headed ”Government plans to relax cycling by-laws” quoted Local Government Minister, Grant Shapps, saying:
“There have been some crazy by-laws in place from the year dot stopping cycling from taking place. This should enable local people to scrap laws stopping people from getting on their bikes.”
“Everyone is interested in looking after themselves and their health, as well as the environment, and cycling succeeds on both of those fronts.”
As you would expect we don’t just “agree”, we “strongly agree” with the Minister. The article said “Hundreds of miles of cycle routes could be created across England following a move to make it easier for councils to scrap outdated local laws.” Why? Because councils won’t need permission from Central Government to abolish byelaws, part of the initiative to devolve decision-making better known as “localism”.
So, will Richmond Council be rushing to ”scrap laws stopping people from getting on their bikes“? Click to see the wide range of current byelaws on their website.
“There is a general feeling…that any general abolition of ‘NO CYCLING’ byelaws may not be desirable, but a review of well-used paths or paths where problems have emerged may be more appropriate.”
Ok, so on a case by case basis, we can live with that.
“There are a number of public rights of way footpaths, many in the old Borough of Twickenham, which are subject to byelaws but they remain unenforceable as ‘no-cycling’ signs warning of the offence have not been erected at each end of the path.”
Maybe things aren’t so bad, permissive cycling courtesy of legal inadequacies.
“The preferred course could be to undertake an appraisal of the footpaths where cycling could co-exist satisfactorily with pedestrians. This would be done in accordance with design guidance and consideration of path widths, pedestrian flows and sight-lines etc. However, this would not be a remedy to allow cycling, as footpaths only provide for a right of way on foot and ‘conversion’ using the Cycle Tracks Act 1984 would still be necessary to legally allow cycling.”
I’m beginning to feel the weight [wait?] of bureaucracy bearing down. We mentioned Cycle Track Orders back in February when they appeared in the Programme of Works 2011/12 in relation to the Thames Towpath
And, of course, it goes without saying that:
“The above would all be subject to funding being identified and the approval of Cllr Harrison, Cabinet Member for Highways and Streetscene & Cllr Virginia Morris, Strategic Cabinet Member for Environment, Planning, Parks and Highways.”
But, there’s always a silver lining:
“The Parks Department do not have the resources, or desire, to enforce ‘NO CYCLING’ byelaws in parks. It is acknowledged that many people cycle in the Borough’s parks and in high flow areas shared use “pedestrian priority” signs have been erected to try and regulate behaviour.”
We’ve asked to discuss the next steps at the Cycling Liaison Group meeting on 11th July [NB: this meeting has been postponed] and agree:
- Considerate Cycling as the Council’s default postion rather than No Cycling;
- The quickest and simplest process to remove no cycling signs at those places classed as unenforceable and create shared use on identified paths.
Let’s find out how bureaucratic this is and how long it takes by making a list of suitable paths: e-mail with your suggestions.
2. Cycle parking
A recent question about the stands removed from outside Dickens and Jones in George Street, Richmond, received a very prompt reply from the Traffic Management and Projects Manager, Highways and Transport, Environment Directorate, with this good news:
“Now that the paving works are nearing completion we will be shortly installing 16 new cycle stands (provision for 32 bicycles) in the area near to House of Fraser. We expect this work to be carried out in approximately 2-3 weeks“.
That’s early July if you’re counting and we’ll check: not difficult as our monthly meeting is in the pub opposite.
This is what it looks like there at the moment:
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Rides for Everyone – 18th June – Bedfont lakes
June 18, 2011 by Paul Luton, under All Posts.
Meet Strawberry Hill Station 10.10.
We cycle through Crane Park and search out green spaces through Feltham on the way to the Nature Park created from old gravel workings.
About 8 miles. Back about 12.00
Six of us enjoyed a welcome glimpse of sun and got home before the rain came. Congratulations to two young girls for managing the ride ( even if they did push mountain bikes up not-that-big hills ) and not being daunted by unpleasant traffic in Bedfont Road.
Good display of cornfield weeds in Crane Park and more muted wild flowers in the Bedfont lakes park.
Pity that no-one has installed a coffee stall at the Park.
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I want to ride my bicycle, I want to ride my bike…
June 17, 2011 by nick, under All Posts, Campaign, Consultation, Cycling Liaison Group Meeting, Location, Veloteer.
If you cycle in, or through, Twickenham, then please click to go to the Twickenham Area Action Plan consultation page on the Council website.
If you cycle then some of the words on the page are encouraging, like “improvements to the environment, traffic management, public transport and pedestrian and cycle links will be required”
Unfortunately the 8 page consultation leaflet ”Twickenham Rediscovered, looking back looking forward” available at yesterday’s public meeting and doesn’t actually use the words “bicycle”, ”cycling” or “cyclist”. ”Cycle” does appear, once, on page 3:
“Limited widening of eastern footway in London Road through removal of cycle lane”
In the document you’re either traffic or pedestrian and if you’re pedestrian then you’ll be pleased to know the impact of traffic is being reduced, mainly by widening pavements.
Now I’m sure when the word pedestrian is used the author had cyclists in their mind’s eye, after all there’s a bike in the drawing on page 6, parked in the middle of an imagined King Street, just like they do in Kensington High Street. But it doesn’t say that and cyclists aren’t pedestrians, except when we’re required to dismount and push our bikes.
There again maybe I’m wrong because our aspirations for the Crane Valley Route providing a traffic free journey through Twickenham and Moor Meads Park is undermined by repeated reference to the “River Crane walkway”.
Please take the opportunity to comment by completing the questionnaire pointing out the lack of any explicit reference to the needs of cyclists, including secure cycle parking spaces.
The closing date is 22nd July
Talking of which you may want to keep an eye on the planning application for re-development of Twickenham Railway Station that includes
“250 covered cycle spaces for commuters, 208 covered cycle spaces for residents and provision of a river walkway”
Click here for what we’ve said before about cycle parking at railway stations, including Twickenham.
Some interesting numbers from yesterday’s meeting included:
2000 vehicles an hour through Twickenham during the peak, dropping to 80% of that, still 1600 vehicles, off-peak.
For the imagined King Street to work the off-peak figure needs to drop to 65%, 1300 vehicles. So 300 drivers need to get out of their vehicles and use another way to get around: maybe cycle?
If King Street is pedestrianised off-peak traffic will be diverted to London Road via Arragon Road.
Note it says on page 5 “Transport proposals will be subject to further detailed testing to ensure they do not have an unacceptable impact on the highway network.”
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Strictly Cycling BikeFest
June 12, 2011 by admin, under All Posts, Events, Rides.
Come along to Old Deer Park in Richmond (next to Pools in the Park on the A316) on Sunday 19th June from 12:00-16:00.
The BikeFest is the culmination of the regional grass track racing events and the carrier of the hope for more cycling events in Richmond next year. Strictly Cycling is Twickenham Cycling Club and LBRuT’s 2012 legacy project and should grow into a big event next year wth the Olympic road cycling events all taking place in LBRuT.
There will be lots of chances to race about on a bike, talk to people about cycling, have a go at some skills, get your bike marked by the police, get it checked by Giant bikes and try out different kinds of bikes.
There’s also a ride led by Richmond Cycling Campaign. Registration is here and costs £2.50. If you receive our email newsletter, you can ride for free if you can answer the simple question it contains.
Posters are available for download here and here.
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Rides for Explorers – 5th June – Along the Grand Union.
June 5, 2011 by Paul Luton, under All Posts.
Meet Richmond Little Green - by Theatre – 10.10am.
We head through Isleworth to Osterley Park to get onto the towpath of the Grand Union Canal. Near Southall we turn into the Paddington Branch which we follow into town. Lunch in a canalside pub. Home from Paddington via Kensington Gardens and Hammersmith Bridge. Lots of traffic-free riding – a bit bumpy around Southall but generally a reasonably smooth surface.
Well just 3 of us met up. All went smoothly apart from getting to the intended lunch stop too early so we ended up having lunch in a pub opposite Kensington Gardens. A scenic ride with lots of swans, cygnets, ducklings, coots and a grey wagtail. Light rain started as we came through Barnes.
Contact : Paul Luton
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Rides for Everyone – 21st May – An Explorer and a Ride in the Park
May 22, 2011 by Paul Luton, under All Posts.
Meeting at Mortlake, we dropped in on – his tomb having been recently restored – before heading up to Richmond Park.
In brilliant sunshine we watched deer bathing in a pond and enjoyed a refreshing coffee. A quick look at Isabella Plantation showed some spectacular rhododendrons and and Kalmia and diminutive ducklings. ‘
After a short climb to WhiteLodge we enjoyed the downhill freewheel back to Mortlake.
Email:
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Money? Money? Money?
May 16, 2011 by nick, under All Posts, Campaign, Consultation, Cycling Liaison Group Meeting.
A few things to think about after publication of the notes of the last
1. Heath Road, Twickenham
For reasons not clear to me, the meeting began with a Police Community Support Officer telling us 27 fixed penalty notices were issued over 6 months for cycling on the pavement near a travel agents in Heath Road. At £30 that’s £810, or £1,620 a year at that rate of reporting. The officer wasn’t taking a problem solving approach so we didn’t get who, what, when and how, or, more importantly, why. As our Co-ordinator said ”a cluster of complaints about footway cycling may indicate there may be a wider highway issue to be addressed, such as narrow cycle lanes or a one-way road with no contra-flow facilities.”
At least we know “the Council was pro-active with regard to .“ We’ll ask how many fixed penalty notices for cycling on the pavement have been issued in the Borough and where, to establish problematic locations. There is often a PCSO on the Richmond side of Hammersmith Bridge.
We’re interested in hearing from those on the receiving end of enforcement and any thoughts about at Cross Deep and Heath Road
2. Cycling Budget 2010/11
A March posting noted ”Concern about underspend in my previous post looks unfounded with some schemes overspent [1,2,3,7,8,12] and Riverside Drive now up to £153,000. Not sure how many of these schemes have been done, or even started, so I’ll ask at the meeting if ”spent” means money committed rather than work done.”
The answer is not recorded in the minutes but the Integrated Transport Planning Manager said money can be carried over from year to year because they work to a three year spending plan. So, it’s not “use it or lose it”, which is good as the intended works at South Worple Way/Sheen Lane
and Woodlands Road/Rosslyn Avenue
haven’t started, although Riverside Drive is well on the way to being finished to the roundabout at Ashburnham Road.
So, if money’s not spent and work’s not done is the draft budget meaningful or meaningless? Well, it’s helpful to know what the plan is so we’ll go on asking for updates because something’s better than nothing, even if it’s indicative or aspirational, may or may not happen and may cost so much, more or less.
And the problem at Sheen Lane? “The introduction of the scheme to open up the road closure to cyclists [has been delayed] as the Cabinet Member for Traffic has asked Officers to relocate the existing Business Bay in South Worple Way (adjacent to the road closure) to an alternative position. A Traffic Regulation Order will need to be published to allow cyclists to legally use the road closure and relocate the business bay.”
3. Car Parking
On the subject of parking, Section 7 Richmond Town Centre – Improved cycle route permeability records ”Proposals had not been taken forward as the introduction of cycle contra-flows would probably result in a net loss of on-street parking provision.” While this may refer only to Richmond Hill ["some members had expressed their personal view that a cycle contra-flow is needed for Richmond Hill as the poorly signed alternative route is lengthy and indirect"] it may also be an indication of a policy against contra-flow in general using loss of parking space as the primary test. If it is then it’s consistent with the car-centric 2nd Borough Local Implementation Plan for Transport
E-mail your thoughts to
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Barnes Common, again
May 10, 2011 by nick, under All Posts, Campaign, Consultation, Cycling Liaison Group Meeting.
Not for the first time Barnes Common was discussed at the The minutes say:
“A Public Inquiry held in year 2000 found in the Council’s favour regarding the widening of existing paths across Barnes Common (Public Rights of Way FP10&16) under the Greater London Parks & Open Spaces Act 1967. However, they still require conversion using the Cycle Tracks Act before the paths can be widened and cycling formally allowed along them. If there were objections to the Cycle Tracks Act this could potentially lead to another Public Inquiry. The Cabinet Member has instructed officers to undertake a feasibility study in 2011-12 to consider several alternative options that may be easier to introduce than the previously agreed alignment across the middle of the Common.”
It’s listed under Scheme 4 Greenways in the Council’s latest Draft Cycling Budget 2011-12 £10k is allocated to ”Cycle route feasibility study of options with costings/timescales” and fits with ”Substantial completion of the Borough’s Greenways Network” in the Cycling Action Plan, Priority Area 1 “Cycle Friendly Road Network“ [, ]
A map of part of Barnes Common was handed out with various routes shown in different colours. You may remember a scheme in last year’s plan to cross the Common on the Putney side of Rocks Lane that was dropped after oppostion from the Conservators and the money returned to TfL. This time it’s the Barnes side and while RCC wants to look at the whole Common we welcome an opportunity to sort out difficult bits on the existing route [black line on the map] that are not safe or convenient, like the requirement to dismount at the end of Laurel Road
the narrow bridge over Beverley Brook
the dangerous right turn out of Cedars Road on to Mill Hill Road and the double level crossing in Vine Road. Proposed options include:
“widening of the footway on west side of Rocks Lane and designation to shared cycle and pedestrian use [thin red line] This would include the provision of a Toucan crossing at Mill Hill Road/Rocks Lane junction (West side);
north east-south west route across Barnes Common between the existing Rocks Lane/Ranelagh Avenue Toucan crossing and the Mill Hill Road/Cedars Road junction [blue line] This would require an informal crossing point of Mill Hill Road before continuing across the Common to the junction of Station Road/Vine Road. It would also require conversion of existing public rights of way footpaths being converted using the Cycle Tracks Act.”
The thick pink line looks like the intended London Cycle Network&LCN+ route.
The options don’t deal with crossing the railway so we propose:
- Installing wheeling channels on the footbridges at Barnes railway station, which are all around 2.5metres wide like Barnes Bridge station which already has them
- Designating shared use on at least one of the paths off Vine Road, either opposite Woodlands Road because that leads over Beverley Brook into Rosslyn Avenue and on to White Hart Lane and Mortlake
and/or the junction with Upper Richmond Road where the existing path is already 1.5 metres wide and links to Priory Road and Richmond Park, a key route for visitors to the Olympic Road Race in 2012.
The RCC Priority List identifies barriers to the cycle journey from Richmond to Putney through Barnes and these proposals provide some alternatives.
Share your thoughts on cycling through Barnes and the proposed options
