Dear all,

Restoring 2 way traffic flow and / or traffic restrictions to Bedford
Rd and Paynes Park were of course key measures in the 1998 Hitchin
Urban Transport Plan. They were also included in all subsequent local
planning documents. They were not implemented, not even when a major
rebuild was carried out and user groups (ourselves) raised the issue.

Including measures in a transport plan is not an alternative to
actually implementing them. A plan is pointless if it is never to
become a reality.

So, what measures will be taken to ensure that this actually happens,
rather than just being a means for Herts Highways to kick it back into
the long grass ?

Secondly we have the issue of the pavement conversion. We are advised
that this is proceding, unmodified, despite being against County
policy, against national guidelines, and against our very clear and
unambiguously worded advice. Just in case anybody is in any doubt we
have stated repeatedly that the proposals are worse than doing nothing.
We are paying for this, we are the people who will have to use it, we
do not want it so do not waste public money on it.

These dreadful proposals make the world a worse place, not a better
one. There are better ways to waste public money.

regards

Alasdair Massie
CTC North Herts



>----Original Message----
>From: roxanne.glaud@...
>Date: 02/10/2009 13:31
>To: "David Billing"<david.billing@...>
>Cc: <alasdair_massie@...>, <Cycle_Hitchin@yahoogroups.com>,
<db27182-hertscycle@...>, <Derrick.Ashley@...>, <vicky.
wyer@...>, <'allison_priory@...:'@....
uk>
>Subj: Re: FW: [Cycle_Hitchin] RE: Proposed cycle provision in Bedford
Road, Hitchin - contradicts stated policy and expert advice
>
>Cllr Billing
>
>That will indeed be investigated - I have highlighted it prior to the
start
>of the UTP that it is main issue for residents and it was raised
during the
>consultation events.
>
>Kind regards
>Roxanne
>
>
>
>|---------+---------------------------->
>| | "David Billing" |
>| | <david.billing@nt|
>| | lworld.com> |
>| | |
>| | 02/10/2009 13:19 |
>| | |
>|---------+---------------------------->
>
>-------------------------------------------------------------------------------\
-----------------------------------------------
|
>
|
|
> | To: "'Roxanne Glaud'" <roxanne.glaud@hertshighways.
org.uk> |
> | cc: <db27182-hertscycle@...>, <Derrick.
Ashley@...>, "'allison_priory@...:'", |
> | <alasdair_massie@...>, <Cycle_Hitchin@yahoogroups.
com>, <vicky.wyer@...> |
> | Subject: FW: [Cycle_Hitchin] RE: Proposed cycle provision
in Bedford Road, Hitchin - contradicts stated policy and |
> | expert
advice
|
>
>-------------------------------------------------------------------------------\
-----------------------------------------------
|
>
>
>
>
>Hi Roxanne
>Please could we ensure that converting the gyratory back to 2-way
working
>is fully considered in the HUTP review.  This is the main issue in
the
>attached email (“has immense public support”), and I agree with the
need to
>do it if it’s feasible.
>
>Thanks
>
>David
>
>From: db27182-hertscycle@... [mailto:db27182-hertscycle@yahoo.
com]
>Sent: 02 October 2009 09:52
>To: 'allison ashley'; 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@...; nigel.agar@...;
>nigel.brook@...; doug.drake@...;
>keith.emsall@...; Cycle_Hitchin@yahoogroups.com
>Cc: 'Alasdair Massie'; 'David Billing'
>Subject: Re: [Cycle_Hitchin] RE: Proposed cycle provision in Bedford
Road,
>Hitchin - contradicts stated policy and expert advice
>
>
>
>
> Dear Councillors, Mr
Lilley,
>
> Perhaps I could endorse the views expressed here. Another poor
pavement conversion is not what is required. We already have one at the
station which
> puts cyclists into conflict with pedestrians and then dangerously
dumps them back on the road at a point of maximum congestion, often
blocked by
> waiting
taxis.
>
> I have a short ride to the station every day, but there is no safe
route from the Pirton Road area in either direction because of the
Paynes Park
> gyratory system "racetrack". This needs to be made safe for cyclists
and pedestrians as a matter of priority, and converting it back to
conventional
> two-way traffic seems the obvious answer and has immense public
support whenever the matter is discussed in
consultations.
>
> Hertfordshire has an excellent cycling strategy, but unfortunately
Hertfordshire Highways do not follow it. The only solution appears to
be for our
> elected representatives to ensure that they do - otherwise
conditions for cyclists on Hitchin's roads and elsewhere will continue
to deteriorate.
>
>
Regards
>
> David
Borner
> 10 Mount
Pleasant
>
Hitchin
>
Herts.
> SG5
2BG
>
> --- On Thu, 1/10/09, vicky wyer <vicky.wyer@...>
wrote:
>
> From: vicky wyer <vicky.wyer@ntlworld.
com>
> Subject: [Cycle_Hitchin] RE: Proposed cycle provision in Bedford
Road, Hitchin - contradicts stated policy and expert
advice
> To: "'allison ashley'" <allison_priory@...>,
feedback@..., clare.body@...,
judi_billing@..., "'Martin
> Stears'" <blanche.n.co@...>, deepak.sangha@....
uk, tony.hunter@..., richard.thake@....
uk,
> john.booth@..., thomas.brindley@...,
michael.muir@..., paul.clark@....
uk,
> fiona.hill@..., david.kearns@..., alan.
millard@..., marilyn.kirkland@....
uk,
> nigel.agar@..., nigel.brook@..., doug.
drake@..., keith.emsall@....
uk
> Cc: "'Alasdair Massie'" <A.Massie@...>, "'David
Billing'" <david.billing@ntlworld.
com>
> Date: Thursday, 1 October, 2009, 11:50
AM
>
> 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 Bedford Road improvement scheme obviously needs to be
revisited and a better solution put forward, in line with adopted
policy and
> expert advice. Can I have your assurances that this will happen
please.
>
> Yours
sincerely
> Vicky
Wyer
>
>
> From: allison ashley [mailto:allison_ priory@yahoo. co.
uk]
> Sent: 26 September 2009 12:
19
> To: vicky wyer; feedback@peterlille y.co.uk; clare.body@north- herts.
gov. uk; judi_billing@ yahoo.com; Martin Stears; deepak.sangha@ north-
herts.
> gov.uk; tony.hunter@ hertscc.gov. uk; richard.thake@ north-herts.
gov.uk; john.booth@north- herts.gov. uk; thomas.brindley@ north-herts.
gov.uk;
> michael.muir@ hertscc.gov. uk; paul.clark@north- herts.gov. uk;
fiona.hill@north- herts.gov. uk; david.kearns@ north-herts. gov.uk;
alan.millard@
> north-herts. gov.uk; marilyn.kirkland@ north-herts. gov.uk; david.
billing@ hertscc.gov. uk; nigel.agar@hertscc. gov.uk; nigel.brook@
hertscc.gov.
> uk; doug.drake@hertscc. gov.uk; keith.emsall@ hertscc.gov.
uk
> Subject: Re: Proposed cycle provision in Bedford Road , Hitchin -
contradicts stated policy and expert
advice
>
> 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@ntlworld .
com>
> To: feedback@peterlille y.co.uk; clare.body@north- herts.gov. uk;
judi_billing@ yahoo.com; Martin Stears <blanche.n.co@ btconnect.
com>;
> allison_priory@ yahoo.co. uk; deepak.sangha@ north-herts. gov.uk;
tony.hunter@ hertscc.gov. uk; richard.thake@ north-herts. gov.
uk;
> john.booth@north- herts.gov. uk; thomas.brindley@ north-herts. gov.
uk; michael.muir@ hertscc.gov. uk; paul.clark@north- herts.gov.
uk;
> fiona.hill@north- herts.gov. uk; david.kearns@ north-herts. gov.uk;
alan.millard@ north-herts. gov.uk; marilyn.kirkland@ north-herts. gov.
uk;
> david.billing@ hertscc.gov. uk; nigel.agar@hertscc. gov.uk; nigel.
brook@ hertscc.gov. uk; doug.drake@hertscc. gov.uk; keith.emsall@
hertscc.gov. uk
> Sent: Friday, 25 September, 2009 14:30:
36
> Subject: Proposed cycle provision in Bedford Road , Hitchin -
contradicts stated policy and expert
advice
> 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.
> 23 Priory
Way
> Hitchin SG4
9BJ
>
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