Campaigns

An Assessment of the recently built cycle path, section 1a, along the Kenilworth Road, and the plan of the proposed next stage, section 1b, to Blackdown

Cycleways has provided its response to Warwickshire County Council’s Kenilworth Road implementation and the proposed next stage to Blackdown.

In Summary, the provision for cycling along the Kenilworth Road has been made by widening the pavement by 3.0m on the eastern side to provide a 2-way cycle track. However, such provision is not without its problems, as identified in this report, and makes it the least favourable option for the cyclists, as well as a poor option for pedestrians. Not surprisingly it is not recommended by the DfT, as they highlight;

In urban areas, the conversion of a footway to shared use should be regarded as the last resort. As the DfT emphasise;

Cycles must be treated as vehicles and not as pedestrians. On urban streets, cyclists must be physically separated from pedestrians, and should not share space with pedestrians.

Report

Cycleways’ assessment of WCC’s proposal for the Harbury Lane cycle
route

Cycleways has provided its response to Warwickshire County Council’s proposal for Harbury Lane.

In Summary, WCC’s Proposal is by means of shared use footways, the least favoured option, and one that would be inadequate for any significant increases in cycling. The DfT, (Dept for Transport), also regard shared use paths as the least favourable option, and have long recommended that it is the road that should be made suitable for cycling.

In addition, the proposal is sub-standard in some of the detail, and a number of improvements are given in the Recommendations.

The new housing developments south of Harbury Lane are predominantly on a green field site, and should be interconnected with good pedestrian and cycle friendly road networks but
this appears not to be the case, specifically with the Oakley Primary/Secondary School.

Climate Change – Cycling is classed as a zero carbon mode of transport hence its potential to any carbon reduction strategy has been included in the Assessment.

Report

Cycleways’ assessment of the WCC proposal for St John’s Warwick

Cycleways has provided its response to Warwickshire County Council’s proposal for St John’s Warwick.

In Summary:

  • This proposal fails to meet both national and county policies in respect of climate change.
  • The proposal falls well short of its objectives due to its failure to follow the recommendations provided by the Dept. of Transport. Mixing cyclists with pedestrians is an unattractive solution for both groups, and will not enhance their experience.
  • Measures to accommodate increased vehicle flows run counter to the Council’s climate change objectives, and will reduce air quality in the St John’s Air Quality Management Area.
Report Plan

Cycling: A Solution not a Problem

In 2014 Cycleways published an extensive review of cycling provision Review of Cycling Provision “Cycling: A Solution not a Problem”

This report examines current cycling provision and makes a number of recommendation, some of which have now been or are being implemented others of which are still the focus of our campaigning

Recommendations

The following recommendations are made:

  1. To be open, transparent and willing to listen when dealing with Councillors and members of the public. Specifically, if WCC were to communicate its financial limitations to stakeholders that could generate a much more constructive dialogue. WCC need to make more use of the Cycle Forum and community groups, particularly at the planning stage.
  2. To draw up a Framework Route Plan for cycling in Warwick District so that each element of future provision forms part of a coherent network of continuous routes.
  3. To re-balance expenditure so that resources better match WCC policies. Congestion and pollution can be addressed by a “carrot” and “stick” approach to persuade motorists out of their cars.
  4. To learn more from best practice elsewhere, and train staff in cycling provision.
  5. To adhere to all internal safety audit recommendations.
  6. To improve the delivery of the agreed Cycling Strategy, as laid out in the LTP.
  7. To ensure that the Underlying Principles of LTN 2/08, and its successors, always provide the framework for the planning and design of the cycle infrastructure. Likewise, LTN 1/12 should provide the framework where pedestrian/cycle facilities are being planned. When there is a situation where this is not possible, then derogation should be published.
  8. To follow the conditions of National Planning Policy Framework set out in 4.29 (p9-11, Planning Policy Framework, March 20, 2012, DCLG, HMG) particularly in respect of forthcoming major developments. As will be shown, failure to do so can have a significant adverse impact, not only on cyclists, but also on pedestrians.
  9. To bring the existing cycle infrastructure up to the recommended guidelines to deliver the objectives of the LTP Cycling Strategy. This requires a programme of work with priorities for action, to be agreed with the relevant community groups.
Report

Cycleways’ response to the WCC Sustainable Futures Strategy Consultation

This report is based on comments received from a number of the members of Cycleways, picking up on transport, environmental, and social issues within the Sustainable Futures Strategy (SFS) consultation document.

It concludes:

To conclude, there is much support for the six goals set out in the draft SFS, but qualified with the need for relevant targets and frameworks to demonstrate how the goals can be delivered.

Report

A safer Highway Code for cyclists

After years of campaigning by Cycling UK, the Government has announced a review of The Highway Code. We’ve been closely involved in developing the proposed changes, which could make roads significantly safer for people cycling and walking. Now we need your help to grasp this opportunity and ensure the proposals are approved.

The key points of the changes are:

  • A hierarchy of road users, putting pedestrians and cyclists ahead of motor vehicles
  • Junction priority for  pedestrians and cyclists against turning traffic at unsignalised junctions
  • New overtaking rules requiring motorist to give cyclist more clearance
  • The “Dutch Reach” to ensure drivers look over their shoulders when open car doors
  • New advice confirming cycle groups can ride two-a-breast
  • New rules confirming that cyclist should ride a least 0.5 m for the kerb and in the centre of lanes
  • New rules confirming that cyclist don’t have to use cycle lanes or tracks and that motorist must give way when crossing them
  • New rules clarifying that cyclists can filter past other traffic in slow moving traffic
  • Drivers to give priority to cyclists at roundabouts.

You can use this tool from Cycling UK to email the Dept. of Transport, Read the full consultation documents here and respond to the Dept of Transport survey here

The consultation will run until midnight on 27 October 2020.

Kenilworth to Leamington Cycleway – K2L

The creation of a safe cycle route between Leamington and Kenilworth has been a key objective of Cycleways since it’s Foundation.

This is a battle we won and in December 2019 Warwickshire Council approved plans with work scheduled to start in 2021/22.

The group focus is now on ensuring that the design of the route properly meets the needs of cyclists and that there is no slippage in the time frame.

The scheme will create a new 5km cycle track along the A452 B4115 / Rocky Lane to connect Kenilworth to Leamington.

As well as providing a key sustainable transport link between the two towns, the cycle route will assist a range of journeys on the Leamington –Kenilworth – Coventry corridor, including to University of Warwick, Stoneleigh Park and JLR Whitley.

The scheme will provide a generally 3 metre wide shared footway /cycleway along the eastern side of the A452, separated where possible from the carriageway by a verge. Some sections of the route will be set behind the hedge line on third party land, due to the restricted highway space.

A new cycle/pedestrian bridge will be provided over the River Avon to the east of the road bridge, which is too narrow for any form of cycling infrastructure. North of the bridge, a cycle track will be provided behind the hedge on the northern side of the B4115 to connect to Rocky Lane, where improvements to the bridleway are proposed.

K2L briefing Note Nov 19_image1

Emscote Road Cycleway

We are actively lobbying Warwickshire County Council  to fund this proposal.

The presentation below show our suggestions for the  Emscote Road Cycle Superhighway proposed in  the Warwick District Local Plan

Emscote Superhighway Maps 3 by Cycleways