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Dear Cllr Ashley, Mr Lilley and other
Councillors,
In the light of Alasdair Massie’s response
highlighting the indisputable discrepancy between Herts Highways proposals and national/regional
policy, what do you, our elected representatives, intend to do about this?
The proposed
Yours sincerely
Vicky Wyer
From: allison ashley [mailto:allison_priory@...]
Sent: 26 September 2009 12:19
To: vicky wyer;
feedback@...; clare.body@...;
judi_billing@...; Martin Stears; deepak.sangha@...;
tony.hunter@...; richard.thake@...;
john.booth@...; thomas.brindley@...;
michael.muir@...; paul.clark@...;
fiona.hill@...; david.kearns@...;
alan.millard@...; marilyn.kirkland@...;
david.billing@...; nigel.agar@...;
nigel.brook@...; doug.drake@...;
keith.emsall@...
Subject: Re: Proposed cycle
provision in
Dear Ms Wyer,
Thank you for your letter.
The work on the one-way system was undertaken in response to the
concerns of residents who live in the area.
There was a petition for increased safety measures for pedestrians,
wheelchair users and young families using prams and
pushchairs who are close enough to walk to the town centre
and Samuel Lucas School but following a number of accidents around this
area, there was a feeling that there were major safety issues regarding
the speed of the traffic and the narrowness of the pavements around this area.
Improved pedestrian access between the Lairage and Elmside walk
along to the sheltered housing complex and the Swim Centre was also an
issue that needed to be addressed.
There is a recommended hierarchy of use for road and pavement
users and greater consideration has to be given to people who have little or no
choice about the routes they use to access various amenities.
I know that there has been extensive discussion between the officers
and representatives of local cycling groups about these plans and the best way
to deal with the issues over shared space. Regarding the cycling
strategy, this will be discussed at the current working group on the Hitchin
Urban Transport plan. The cycling lobby was well represented at the
initial public meeting of this group last February and had the
opportunity to put their views
forward along with everyone else.
I hope that you have found this helpful.
Yours sincerely
Cllr. Allison Ashley
Tel: 01462 450892
From: vicky wyer
<vicky.wyer@...>
To: feedback@...;
clare.body@...; judi_billing@...; Martin Stears
<blanche.n.co@...>; allison_priory@...;
deepak.sangha@...; tony.hunter@...;
richard.thake@...; john.booth@...;
thomas.brindley@...; michael.muir@...;
paul.clark@...; fiona.hill@...;
david.kearns@...; alan.millard@...;
marilyn.kirkland@...; david.billing@...;
nigel.agar@...; nigel.brook@...;
doug.drake@...; keith.emsall@...
Sent: Friday, 25 September, 2009
14:30:36
Subject: Proposed cycle provision
in
Dear Mr Lilley and Councillors,
I am very concerned about the standard of cycling
provision being proposed by Herts Highways on the Bedford Road Gyratory in Hitchin.
Despite being fully aware of the principles set out in
the Hertfordshire Cycling Strategy and detailed advice given by expert
engineers from the CTC, Herts Highways are ignoring both, and proposing a
shared pavement scheme along Bedford Road. They are clearly pursuing a
deliberate policy of putting cyclists on the pavement, in direct contradiction
to stated policy. They are not considering any alternatives even when these
have been identified in existing plans. They have blocked roads or made them
one way without thought, introduced pinch points and barriers, and designed
“cycle tracks” that emerge into the road with absolutely no
visibility.
The Hertfordshire Cycling Strategy is a good document,
and was produced for the purpose of achieving good practice on new schemes. The
CTC are an expert user group who know what they are talking about and are
representing the views of cyclists and those who wish their children to live
healthier lives and be able to cycle safely and freely around their local area
(which would reduce cars on the road making travelling safer for everyone). The
question needs to be asked why Herts Highways are not heeding this advice and
why they are contravening established policy.
- Please do
not let this scheme go ahead in its current form – it is a gross
misuse of public money and in direct contradiction of stated policy.
- Please
investigate why Herts Highways are pursuing this course of action and
bring them to account for their proposals.
- Please
ensure that they follow stated policy and respect expert user group advice
in this and all future projects
I look forward to hearing your response to my request.
Yours sincerely
Vicky Wyer
Car user, local journey cyclist and mother of three
children who will not cycle to school because they do not feel it is safe.
Hitchin SG4 9BJ
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