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#122 From: "Alasdair Massie" <a.massie@...>
Date: Mon Dec 29, 2008 8:42 pm
Subject: Hitchin Transport Plan Workshop 11 February 		alasdairmassie
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Cyclists Touring Club
Right to Ride Network

www.ctc.org.uk         www.northhertsctc.org.uk


Dear all,

Many of you will already have heard that Hitchin's Urban Transport
Plan is being re-written. The previous plan, written in 1998, was an
excellent plan but very little of it has been implemented. In
particular, the cycle network (which was the second most popular
measure) has received virtually no funding in the subsequent decade.

We would like to see the recommendations for the 1998 plan made a
reality rather than allowing the County Council wasting peoples' time
and energy on drawing up a new plan.

The consultants' brief for the new plan also contained disturbing
references to an A505 "corridor" study - a euphemism for a bypass.
Hitchin is not a town that needs or would benefit from a bypass. It
is not on a busy through route, there is little through traffic, and
virtually all traffic originates in Hitchin or one of the
neighbouring towns. In this sort of environment all a bypass will do
is generate more traffic (roads leading to Baldock saw increases in
traffic of 20-30% in the year following the bypass opening).

What can you do ?

There will be a workshop organised by the planning consultants on
Wednesday 11 February at Hitchin Town Hall from 9.45am to 2.30pm.
This will include a presentation by the consultants followed by group
discussions.

I will be attending on behalf of CTC. If you would like to attend,
register by contacting Sukhjeet.Moreno@... by Friday 23
January.

Regards

Alasdair Massie
CTC Right to Ride Representative, North Herts

CTC is Britain's largest cycling organisation with 70,000 members.
Formed in 1878 we have actively campaigned for better, safer roads,
locally and nationally since our inception.

We have a large and active section for Stevenage and North Herts.

Don't forget, you can keep up to date with all our local campaign
news as well as rides and socials by visiting our website at
www.northhertsctc.org.uk . For national campaigning news, events,
advice, CTC shop and details of member benefits visit www.ctc.org.uk

Reply | Forward | Messages in this Topic (1)
#121 From: Alasdair Massie <a.massie@...>
Date: Tue Nov 25, 2008 2:38 pm
Subject: Dear Santa... what can be done for cycling in North Herts 		alasdairmassie
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Send Email Send Email
 

ctclogo small.gifDear all,

 

With Christmas coming up I thought that I would send a “dear Santa” letter to North Herts District and County councillors, suggesting measures that they could implement quickly and easily in the new year to improve conditions for cycling around the district. I had in mind mainly small measures (preferably ones that are already in the Cycle Network Plan), together with a few longer term measures.

 

I would like your suggestions.

 

Here are a few of my ideas:

 

b         Put together a delivery programme for the North Herts Cycle Network, including how it will be funded.

b         Create a gap through the road closure at the end of Lytton Avenue, Letchworth to allow cycles to enter and exit.

b         Cycle training in all North Herts schools.

b         Fill all of the pot holes in Ashwell High Street and Ashwell Street.

b         Cut back the vegetation and improve maintenance of the path between Coachman’s lane in Baldock and Works Road in Letchworth. Build a proper entry onto Works Rd.

b         Upgrade all of the paths linking the Burns Road estate to the surrounding areas to shared use, to make this single entry estate more permeable to cyclists.

b         Install cycle advanced stop lines at both ends of Hermitage Road, Hitchin.

b         Build a segregated cycle path and crossing point from the A505 Little Chef roundabout to the Litlington turning west of Royston.

 

Your suggestions ?

Regards
 
 
 
Alasdair DV Massie CEng MIStructE

CTC Right to Ride Representative, North Herts

CTC is Britain’s largest cycling organisation with 70,000 members. Formed in 1878 we have actively campaigned for better, safer roads, locally and nationally since our inception.

We have a large and active section for Stevenage and North Herts.

 

 


Reply | Forward | Messages in this Topic (1)
#120 From: Alasdair Massie <a.massie@...>
Date: Mon Oct 27, 2008 10:26 am
Subject: RE: North Herts Community Conference 10 November - can you attend ? 		alasdairmassie
Offline Offline
Send Email Send Email
 

I have to disagree, if people don’t show an interest in consultation then it plays into the hands of people who want to ignore public views, and especially the views of anything perceived as “minority” interests. We do need to work harder on implementation, but I think that NHDC are becoming more conscious of that so we need to apply lots of pressure.

I have a volunteer to attend the conference but the more, the merrier.

Regards
 
 
 
Alasdair DV Massie CEng MIStructE

CTC Right to Ride Representative, North Herts

CTC is Britain’s largest cycling organisation with 70,000 members. Formed in 1878 we have actively campaigned for better, safer roads, locally and nationally since our inception.

We have a large and active section for Stevenage and North Herts.

 

 

From: Cycle_Hitchin@yahoogroups.com [mailto:Cycle_Hitchin@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of David Borner
Sent: 25 October 2008 14:13
To: Cycle_Hitchin@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [Cycle_Hitchin] North Herts Community Conference 10 November - can you attend ?

 

Alasdair,

I'm in two minds about this sort of event. NHDC have a sorry history of of wasting people's time in "consultations" and similar exercises and then not following up with anything worthwhile. I would be tempted to write to them suggesting that some action on previous initiatives, e.g. the cycle network and Hitchin Transport Vision, is necessary before they can establish the credibility to expect people to spend more time with them at this sort of event. If nobody turned up they might start to get the message.

Dave

--- On Fri, 24/10/08, Alasdair Massie <a.massie@...> wrote:

From: Alasdair Massie <a.massie@...>
Subject: [Cycle_Hitchin] North Herts Community Conference 10 November - can you attend ?
To: "Cycle Hitchin Discussion Group (Cycle_Hitchin@yahoogroups.com)" <Cycle_Hitchin@yahoogroups.com>, "Graham Frost " <grahamcfrost@...>, "'ftsg62eu@...'" <ftsg62eu@...>, " (cherrywy@...)" <cherrywy@...>, " (chris.e.walby@...)" <chris.e.walby@...>, " (cjr@...)" <cjr@...>, " (david@...)" <david@...>, " (elaine_ellis@...)" <elaine_ellis@...>, " (james.p.knight@...)" <james.p.knight@...>, " (linc.bundy@...)" <linc.bundy@...>, " (michaelwatkin@...)" <michaelwatkin@...>, " (nigelwootton@...)" <nigelwootton@...>, " (normankr@...)" <normankr@...>, " (roger.how@...)" <roger.how@...>, " (simon.hollowood@...)" <simon.hollowood@...>, " (stevegrady@...)" <stevegrady@...>, " (terry.fosbrook@...)" <terry.fosbrook@...>, " (waowen@...)" <waowen@...>, " (wford@...)" <wford@...>, "Alan Hollowood (alanhollowood@...)" <alanhollowood@...>, "Alex Pender (alexsg15@...)" <alexsg15@...>, "Andrew Porter (andrewchoras@...)" <andrewchoras@...>, "Anne Clare (anne.clare@...)" <anne.clare@...>, "Bob Watts (bob@...)" <bob@...>, "Bruce White (bwhite2008@...)" <bwhite2008@...>, "David Pond (dpond@...)" <dpond@...>, "David Raeside (d.raeside@...)" <d.raeside@...>, "Geoffrey Preece (furry-aardvark@...)" <furry-aardvark@...>, "George Mansfield (gf.mansfield@...)" <gf.mansfield@...>, "Gillian Collins (gillian.collins@...)" <gillian.collins@...>, "Howard Knight (knight_howard@...)" <knight_howard@...>, "Ian Prestwell (ian.pretswell@...)" <ian.pretswell@...>, "Liz and Peter Barrett (barrett.liz@...)" <barrett.liz@...>, "B Norman (bob.norman93@...)" <bob.norman93@...>, "C Alderton" <aldertons.alderton@...>, "C Hartley (ch10000@...)" <ch10000@...>, "'Dr Anthony J Cooper'" <ad294@...>, "E Mason (lizzie_madmason@...)" <lizzie_madmason@...>, "G Chong (gerald@...)" <gerald@...>, "G Duguid (grahamduguid@...)" <grahamduguid@...>, "Gerald.Page@..." <Gerald.Page@...>, "J Meadows (jill.meadows@...)" <jill.meadows@...>, "JOHN MEADOWS" <john.meadows7@...>, "M Beddoe" <mwdbeddoe@...>, "M Taylor" <mikes99mail@...>, "Mike Stapleton" <m.stapletonctc@...>, "P Bradley" <peter.bradley23@...>, "P Gillard (peter.gillard@...)" <peter.gillard@...>, "R Brookes" <robertcbrookes@...>, "T Raven (tony@...)" <tony@...>
Cc: "'Jim Brown'" <jim.brown@...>, "Alasdair - home (Alasdair - home)" <alasdair_massie@...>
Date: Friday, 24 October, 2008, 2:09 PM

cid:328595311@18092008-2D52Cyclists Touring Club

Right to Ride Network

www.ctc.org. uk         www.northhertsctc. org.uk

Dear all,

 

I have been invited to attend the launch of the North Herts Sustainable Community Strategy at the Community Conference on Monday 10 November. I was planning to attend but have just realised that I will be unable to do so.

 

Would anybody else be available to represent CTC / cycling interests ?

 

graph of journeys by mode in the NetherlandsWe need somebody to attend to ensure that:

b    Cycling is considered at all levels of local planning, so that it can become as natural and universal a form of local transport here as it is in the Netherlands.

b    NHDC feel that public consultation is a worthwhile and representative exercise.

 

The Community conference will be held at the Spirella building opposite Letchworth railway station. It starts at 6.30pm (refreshments served from 6pm).

 

North Herts District Council have been actively consulting the public on a number of strategies over recent months and we have been active in representing cyclists’ interests on them. We have attended conferences and workshops on the Sustainable Community Strategy, Transport Fundamental Services Review, and most recently, the Green Spaces Plan. You can read our follow up letter to the Transport FSR by clicking on the link above.

 

I’m afraid that I have not had time to write notes for the other workshops but we have followed a policy of supporting lower traffic levels by encouraging active travel, encouraging use of local services and local businesses, personal travel planning delivered at home, at work, and at major trip generators (eg rail stations). Also universal cycle training for school children, and promotion of cycle training for adults. Last, but not least, we would like to see the North Herts Cycle Network become more than just a distant aspiration.

 

More information on our recent activities can be found by visiting our Campaign page, and by following the links to our “Revolution” newsletter (look for the link in the top right hand corner of the Campaign page).

We need to confirm attendance no later than 30 October (next Thursday) so please have a look in your diaries and see if you could make this date. If you can, please contact me asap and I will either pass on the forms or fill them in for you myself.

Don’t forget, clocks go back this weekend which means that it is time for the Emitremmus (summertime reversed) ride. The forecast is dry but maybe a little windy. If you fancy a 63 mile ride through rolling Hertfordshire and Suffolk countryside then you can still enter on the day. Go to the Emitremmus page of our website for more information.

Regards
 
 
 
Alasdair DV Massie CEng MIStructE

CTC Right to Ride Representative, North Herts 01462 894219

CTC is Britain’s largest cycling organisation with 70,000 members. Formed in 1878 we have actively campaigned for better, safer roads, locally and nationally since our inception.

We have a large and active section for Stevenage and North Herts.

 

 

 


Reply | Forward | Messages in this Topic (3)
#119 From: David Borner <dborner@...>
Date: Sat Oct 25, 2008 1:13 pm
Subject: Re: North Herts Community Conference 10 November - can you attend ? 		cycle_faster
Offline Offline
Send Email Send Email
 
Alasdair,

I'm in two minds about this sort of event. NHDC have a sorry history of of wasting people's time in "consultations" and similar exercises and then not following up with anything worthwhile. I would be tempted to write to them suggesting that some action on previous initiatives, e.g. the cycle network and Hitchin Transport Vision, is necessary before they can establish the credibility to expect people to spend more time with them at this sort of event. If nobody turned up they might start to get the message.

Dave

--- On Fri, 24/10/08, Alasdair Massie <a.massie@...> wrote:
From: Alasdair Massie <a.massie@...>
Subject: [Cycle_Hitchin] North Herts Community Conference 10 November - can you attend ?
To: "Cycle Hitchin Discussion Group (Cycle_Hitchin@yahoogroups.com)" <Cycle_Hitchin@yahoogroups.com>, "Graham Frost " <grahamcfrost@...>, "'ftsg62eu@...'" <ftsg62eu@...>, " (cherrywy@...)" <cherrywy@...>, " (chris.e.walby@...)" <chris.e.walby@...>, " (cjr@...)" <cjr@...>, " (david@...)" <david@...>, " (elaine_ellis@...)" <elaine_ellis@...>, " (james.p.knight@...)" <james.p.knight@...>, " (linc.bundy@...)" <linc.bundy@...>, " (michaelwatkin@...)" <michaelwatkin@...>, " (nigelwootton@...)" <nigelwootton@...>, " (normankr@...)" <normankr@...>, " (roger.how@...)" <roger.how@...>, " (simon.hollowood@...)" <simon.hollowood@...>, " (stevegrady@...)" <stevegrady@...>, " (terry.fosbrook@...)" <terry.fosbrook@...>, " (waowen@...)" <waowen@...>, " (wford@...)" <wford@...>, "Alan Hollowood (alanhollowood@...)" <alanhollowood@...>, "Alex Pender (alexsg15@...)" <alexsg15@...>, "Andrew Porter (andrewchoras@...)" <andrewchoras@...>, "Anne Clare (anne.clare@...)" <anne.clare@...>, "Bob Watts (bob@...)" <bob@...>, "Bruce White (bwhite2008@...)" <bwhite2008@...>, "David Pond (dpond@...)" <dpond@...>, "David Raeside (d.raeside@...)" <d.raeside@...>, "Geoffrey Preece (furry-aardvark@...)" <furry-aardvark@...>, "George Mansfield (gf.mansfield@...)" <gf.mansfield@...>, "Gillian Collins (gillian.collins@...)" <gillian.collins@...>, "Howard Knight (knight_howard@...)" <knight_howard@...>, "Ian Prestwell (ian.pretswell@...)" <ian.pretswell@...>, "Liz and Peter Barrett (barrett.liz@...)" <barrett.liz@...>, "B Norman (bob.norman93@...)" <bob.norman93@...>, "C Alderton" <aldertons.alderton@...>, "C Hartley (ch10000@...)" <ch10000@...>, "'Dr Anthony J Cooper'" <ad294@...>, "E Mason (lizzie_madmason@...)" <lizzie_madmason@...>, "G Chong (gerald@...)" <gerald@...>, "G Duguid (grahamduguid@...)" <grahamduguid@...>, "Gerald.Page@..." <Gerald.Page@...>, "J Meadows (jill.meadows@...)" <jill.meadows@...>, "JOHN MEADOWS" <john.meadows7@...>, "M Beddoe" <mwdbeddoe@...>, "M Taylor" <mikes99mail@...>, "Mike Stapleton" <m.stapletonctc@...>, "P Bradley" <peter.bradley23@...>, "P Gillard (peter.gillard@...)" <peter.gillard@...>, "R Brookes" <robertcbrookes@...>, "T Raven (tony@...)" <tony@...>
Cc: "'Jim Brown'" <jim.brown@...>, "Alasdair - home (Alasdair - home)" <alasdair_massie@...>
Date: Friday, 24 October, 2008, 2:09 PM

cid:328595311@18092008-2D52Cyclists Touring Club

Right to Ride Network

www.ctc.org. uk         www.northhertsctc. org.uk

Dear all,

 

I have been invited to attend the launch of the North Herts Sustainable Community Strategy at the Community Conference on Monday 10 November. I was planning to attend but have just realised that I will be unable to do so.

 

Would anybody else be available to represent CTC / cycling interests ?

 

graph of journeys by mode in the NetherlandsWe need somebody to attend to ensure that:

b    Cycling is considered at all levels of local planning, so that it can become as natural and universal a form of local transport here as it is in the Netherlands.

b    NHDC feel that public consultation is a worthwhile and representative exercise.

 

The Community conference will be held at the Spirella building opposite Letchworth railway station. It starts at 6.30pm (refreshments served from 6pm).

 

North Herts District Council have been actively consulting the public on a number of strategies over recent months and we have been active in representing cyclists’ interests on them. We have attended conferences and workshops on the Sustainable Community Strategy, Transport Fundamental Services Review, and most recently, the Green Spaces Plan. You can read our follow up letter to the Transport FSR by clicking on the link above.

 

I’m afraid that I have not had time to write notes for the other workshops but we have followed a policy of supporting lower traffic levels by encouraging active travel, encouraging use of local services and local businesses, personal travel planning delivered at home, at work, and at major trip generators (eg rail stations). Also universal cycle training for school children, and promotion of cycle training for adults. Last, but not least, we would like to see the North Herts Cycle Network become more than just a distant aspiration.

 

More information on our recent activities can be found by visiting our Campaign page, and by following the links to our “Revolution” newsletter (look for the link in the top right hand corner of the Campaign page).

We need to confirm attendance no later than 30 October (next Thursday) so please have a look in your diaries and see if you could make this date. If you can, please contact me asap and I will either pass on the forms or fill them in for you myself.

Don’t forget, clocks go back this weekend which means that it is time for the Emitremmus (summertime reversed) ride. The forecast is dry but maybe a little windy. If you fancy a 63 mile ride through rolling Hertfordshire and Suffolk countryside then you can still enter on the day. Go to the Emitremmus page of our website for more information.

Regards
 
 
 
Alasdair DV Massie CEng MIStructE

CTC Right to Ride Representative, North Herts 01462 894219

CTC is Britain’s largest cycling organisation with 70,000 members. Formed in 1878 we have actively campaigned for better, safer roads, locally and nationally since our inception.

We have a large and active section for Stevenage and North Herts.

 

 



Reply | Forward | Messages in this Topic (3)
#118 From: Alasdair Massie <a.massie@...>
Date: Fri Oct 24, 2008 1:09 pm
Subject: North Herts Community Conference 10 November - can you attend ? 		alasdairmassie
Offline Offline
Send Email Send Email
 

cid:328595311@18092008-2D52Cyclists Touring Club

Right to Ride Network

www.ctc.org.uk         www.northhertsctc.org.uk

Dear all,

 

I have been invited to attend the launch of the North Herts Sustainable Community Strategy at the Community Conference on Monday 10 November. I was planning to attend but have just realised that I will be unable to do so.

 

Would anybody else be available to represent CTC / cycling interests ?

 

graph of journeys by mode in the NetherlandsWe need somebody to attend to ensure that:

b    Cycling is considered at all levels of local planning, so that it can become as natural and universal a form of local transport here as it is in the Netherlands.

b    NHDC feel that public consultation is a worthwhile and representative exercise.

 

The Community conference will be held at the Spirella building opposite Letchworth railway station. It starts at 6.30pm (refreshments served from 6pm).

 

North Herts District Council have been actively consulting the public on a number of strategies over recent months and we have been active in representing cyclists’ interests on them. We have attended conferences and workshops on the Sustainable Community Strategy, Transport Fundamental Services Review, and most recently, the Green Spaces Plan. You can read our follow up letter to the Transport FSR by clicking on the link above.

 

I’m afraid that I have not had time to write notes for the other workshops but we have followed a policy of supporting lower traffic levels by encouraging active travel, encouraging use of local services and local businesses, personal travel planning delivered at home, at work, and at major trip generators (eg rail stations). Also universal cycle training for school children, and promotion of cycle training for adults. Last, but not least, we would like to see the North Herts Cycle Network become more than just a distant aspiration.

 

More information on our recent activities can be found by visiting our Campaign page, and by following the links to our “Revolution” newsletter (look for the link in the top right hand corner of the Campaign page).

We need to confirm attendance no later than 30 October (next Thursday) so please have a look in your diaries and see if you could make this date. If you can, please contact me asap and I will either pass on the forms or fill them in for you myself.

Don’t forget, clocks go back this weekend which means that it is time for the Emitremmus (summertime reversed) ride. The forecast is dry but maybe a little windy. If you fancy a 63 mile ride through rolling Hertfordshire and Suffolk countryside then you can still enter on the day. Go to the Emitremmus page of our website for more information.

Regards
 
 
 
Alasdair DV Massie CEng MIStructE

CTC Right to Ride Representative, North Herts 01462 894219

CTC is Britain’s largest cycling organisation with 70,000 members. Formed in 1878 we have actively campaigned for better, safer roads, locally and nationally since our inception.

We have a large and active section for Stevenage and North Herts.

 

 


Reply | Forward | Messages in this Topic (3)
#117 From: Alasdair Massie <a.massie@...>
Date: Fri Oct 17, 2008 2:33 pm
Subject: Revolution Newsletter - Issue 3 October 2008 		alasdairmassie
Offline Offline
Send Email Send Email
 

cid:328595311@18092008-2D52Cyclists Touring Club

Right to Ride Network

www.ctc.org.uk         www.ctcnorthherts.org.uk

Dear all,

The latest edition of our “Revolution” newsletter is available to download from the CTC North Herts and Stevenage website here. You can also download previous editions by going to the Campaign page. For those on the respective discussion groups, a copy can also be found in the file space of the Cycle Hitchin and Cycle Herts groups.

We hope that you will find our campaign newsletter interesting and thought provoking. While we try to keep the focus of the newsletter local, we could not resist another article on our world beating Olympic and Paralympic teams. We hope that you will forgive the indulgence and join with us in celebrating their triumph.

Closer to home we have plenty keeping us busy. There is the new shared use underpass and associated cycle provision in Royston where we have enjoyed a productive dialogue with our County Engineers. Much less happy has been the shameful attitude towards cycle access at Hitchin Station - lessons of a decade ago have not been learned and a dangerous, unusable scheme is being forced on station users.

In this issue:

b   Connect2 and the Royston Cycle Network (Stop press… not in the newsletter but the underpass construction has been put back by 12 months in order to sort out land ownership issues).

b   Hitchin Station 

b   Cycling Champions

b   People who live on busy roads have less friends

b   Personal Travel Plans and Rail Commuters

b   Reasons to Cycle – Congestion 

b   How to Cater for Cycling on British Roads

b   Getting Started – don’t get caught out by nightfall

b   Easy Riding – rubbing brakes

b   Gold Rush 

b   Wasted talent

b   Coffee Room Myths - “Cycling is slow” 

b    Good Examples - the “Cycle Plug”

Please contact us with any questions or concerns.

Alasdair DV Massie CEng MIStructE

Alasdair_massie@...

CTC Right to Ride Representative, North Herts

CTC is Britain’s largest cycling organisation with 70,000 members. Formed in 1878 we have actively campaigned for better, safer roads, locally and nationally since our inception.

We have a large and active section for Stevenage and North Herts.

 

 

 


Reply | Forward | Messages in this Topic (1)
#116 From: Alasdair Massie <a.massie@...>
Date: Fri Oct 3, 2008 3:20 pm
Subject: FW: do you have a cycle friendly MP? 		alasdairmassie
Offline Offline
Send Email Send Email
 

Dear all,

 

See below. Is Peter Lilley a cycle friendly MP ? If so, why not contact him and suggest that he join the All Party Parliamentary Cycling Group ? (He is not my MP and so I am unable to suggest it to him).

Regards
 
 
 
Alasdair DV Massie CEng MIStructE

CTC Right to Ride Representative, North Herts

CTC is Britain’s largest cycling organisation with 70,000 members. Formed in 1878 we have actively campaigned for better, safer roads, locally and nationally since our inception.

We have a large and active section for Stevenage and North Herts.

 

 

From: CTC-RTR@yahoogroups.com [mailto:CTC-RTR@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Adam Coffman
Sent: 03 October 2008 16:16
To: CTC-RTR@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [CTC-RTR] do you have a cycle friendly MP?

 

The All Party Parliamentary Cycling Group is looking to recruit new members.

 

Please email me on adam.coffman@... if you have a cycle friendly MP and you think they might want to join the group.

 

Regards


Adam


________________________________________________________________________
CTC - the UK's national cyclists' organisation provides a comprehensive range of services, advice, events, and protection for its members.

CTC Charitable Trust, CTC's charity arm, works to promote cycling by raising public and political awareness of its health, social and environmental benefits, and by working with all communities to help realise those benefits.

To find out more, to join or support CTC visit www.ctc.org.uk, or phone 0844 736 8451.

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Registered office: Parklands, Railton Road, Guildford, GU2 9JX

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Reply | Forward | Messages in this Topic (1)
#115 From: Alasdair Massie <a.massie@...>
Date: Mon Sep 22, 2008 8:50 am
Subject: Cycle carriage on trains - petition 		alasdairmassie
Offline Offline
Send Email Send Email
 

People may be interested in supporting the following no 10 petition:

 

http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/bikes-on-trains/

 

We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to require the train operators to provide an integrated system for the carriage of bicycles and ensure there is adequate capacity available.

 

Currently there is no minimum requirement for train operators to carry bicycles and each operator has a different set of rules and booking procedures. This makes the system extremely complex to use, especially where multiple operators are used. Its not possible to book bicycle reservations online and hence one does not know whether there will be room for a bike on a train when a ticket is purchased (note, advanced tickets cannot subsequently be altered to a train with available bicycle carriage space). Some operators have extremely poor provision. The Crosscountry service has reduced the capacity of its trains from 4 bicycles per train to 2 bicycles (so they can provide secure accomodation for their retail trolly). Hence, a maximum of 2 people can travel together with bicycles when you using the crosscountry service (a major element of the national network). Clearly, a national policy is required with a fully integrated booking system (that is available online through the standard ticket retailers) and incentives/requirements for operators to improve capacity.

Regards
 
 
 
Alasdair

 


Reply | Forward | Messages in this Topic (1)
#114 From: "Val Campion" <val.campion@...>
Date: Wed Sep 10, 2008 11:27 am
Subject: RE: Hitchin Station plans condemned as dangerous and pointless 		val.campion@...
Send Email Send Email
 

Hi Alasdair,

 

Just in case you don’t know, work started at Hitchin station forecourt at 8.00am today. Now, 12 noon, they have coned off large sections of the access to the bike sheds and are putting barriers round the green islands.

 

Our garden backs onto the forecourt, at the top of the cliff. An excellent spying position!

 

Keep up the good work.

 

Val

 


Reply | Forward | Messages in this Topic (4)
#113 From: Alasdair Massie <a.massie@...>
Date: Mon Sep 8, 2008 1:24 pm
Subject: RE: Hitchin Station plans condemned as dangerous and pointless 		alasdairmassie
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Oops, yes. Thanks for spotting that Val. Corrected version now sent to the Comet.

 

Regards
 
 
 
Alasdair

 

From: Cycle_Hitchin@yahoogroups.com [mailto:Cycle_Hitchin@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Val Campion
Sent: 08 September 2008 14:10
To: Cycle_Hitchin@yahoogroups.com
Subject: RE: [Cycle_Hitchin] Hitchin Station plans condemned as dangerous and pointless

 

Dear Alasdair,

Thank you for sending all your info the Station forecourt proposals, it is most welcome. If your latest release hasn’t yet gone to press I think you need an amendment to paragraph 3, line 5: ‘It is’ needs to be inserted before ‘The point’, or ‘that’ later in the sentence should be deleted, to read either “It is the point where you join… that is” or “ The point where you join…is”

I hope this makes sense.

Best wishes, and good luck!

Val


Reply | Forward | Messages in this Topic (4)
#112 From: "Val Campion" <val.campion@...>
Date: Mon Sep 8, 2008 1:09 pm
Subject: RE: Hitchin Station plans condemned as dangerous and pointless 		val.campion@...
Send Email Send Email
 

Dear Alasdair,

 

Thank you for sending all your info the Station forecourt proposals, it is most welcome. If your latest release hasn’t yet gone to press I think you need an amendment to paragraph 3, line 5: ‘It is’ needs to be inserted before ‘The point’, or ‘that’ later in the sentence should be deleted, to read either “It is the point where you join… that is” or “ The point where you join…is”

 

I hope this makes sense.

 

Best wishes, and good luck!

 

Val

 

 


Reply | Forward | Messages in this Topic (4)
#111 From: Alasdair Massie <a.massie@...>
Date: Mon Sep 8, 2008 12:03 pm
Subject: Hitchin Station plans condemned as dangerous and pointless 		alasdairmassie
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cid:190225315@30082008-1878Cyclists Touring Club

Right to Ride Network

www.ctc.org.uk         www.northhertsctc.org.uk

 

Dear all,

 

(Hopefully) appearing in the Comet soon, our press release attached. Please help apply a little pressure by taking this up with your local councillors (District and County) and MP (Peter Lilley feedback@...). As before, if you don’t know who your councillor is then go to http://www.hertsdirect.org/actweb/postcode/postcode.cfm

Regards
 
 
 
Alasdair DV Massie CEng MIStructE

CTC Right to Ride Representative, North Herts

CTC is Britain’s largest cycling organisation with 70,000 members. Formed in 1878 we have actively campaigned for better, safer roads, locally and nationally since our inception.

We have a large and active section for Stevenage and North Herts.

 


Reply | Forward | Messages in this Topic (4)
#110 From: Alasdair Massie <a.massie@...>
Date: Fri Sep 5, 2008 1:23 pm
Subject: RE: Hitchin Transport Plan - can you answer these questions ? 		alasdairmassie
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Thanks Jim

 

Regards
 
 
 
Alasdair

 

From: Cycle_Hitchin@yahoogroups.com [mailto:Cycle_Hitchin@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Jim Densham
Sent: 05 September 2008 14:14
To: cycle_hitchin@yahoogroups.com
Subject: RE: [Cycle_Hitchin] Hitchin Transport Plan - can you answer these questions ?

 

Alasdair
 
Had a look at this and also agree that most has not been started.
One pinch point (not on the spreadsheet) was created when the pedestrian crossing on Nightingale Road was improved. When cycling down the hill from the junction with Walsworth road one is forced into the traffic by a sudden narrowing of the road ahead of a left turn and the pedestrian crossing. Whilst this makes the road narrower for the crossing to operate it does not in reality slow vehilces down, it merely makes cycling more hazardous.
 
Thanks
Jim


To: Cycle_Hitchin@yahoogroups.com; HitchinTransportPlan@yahoogroups.com; Horse_lover482@...; Louise.biggs@...; Vicky.wyer@...; XMartine31@...; Cmarsden_jones@...; Davidandtabby@...; djohn@...; Helen.hulley@...; Jrymell@...; Julie.hentonpusey@...; Markshaw42@...; Suecov45@...; Tonynorth@...; Claire.rickard@...; Frances.denning@...; gill@...; j.nicholson3@...; Farquhar_jim@...; Jcp.roberts@...; Keith.a.robertson@...; bidlee@...; Mary9.martin@...; paul.abraham@...; Philip.turner@...; sueloveswales@...
From: a.massie@...
Date: Fri, 5 Sep 2008 13:15:50 +0100
Subject: [Cycle_Hitchin] Hitchin Transport Plan - can you answer these questions ?

cid:980233606@07072008-1c1bCyclists Touring Club

Right to Ride Network

www.ctc.org.uk         www.northhertsctc.org.uk

 

Dear all,

 

As you may know Herts County Council (HCC) are in the process of writing a new transport plan for Hitchin. Unfortunately it has not really occurred to them that they should, perhaps, implement the previous (1998) plan first.

 

The 1998 plan was really a very good plan, with lots of positive proposals for improving walking and cycling links in the town, together with traffic calming and better bus and train information. Sadly, there has been little appetite in County Hall to make any of it a reality. In fact, with the exception of (part) pedestrianising the Market square and High Street, I don’t believe that ANY of the cycling and walking schemes have been implemented.

 

WHERE WE NEED YOUR HELP is to go through the list of schemes that should have been implemented under the 1998 plan and confirm which HAVE and which HAVE NOT been implemented.

 

I am attaching a schedule of schemes, in both Excel and PDF format so you can read whichever is easier. Could people look through the list and let me know if any of the “Progress” columns are WRONG. If I have noted it as “No information” and you know that it has been implemented, or know that it has not, please could you let me know.

 

Under “Traffic calming”, I would like to know if any of the schemes listed have made conditions WORSE for cycling. Examples would include loss of priority, introduction of central islands or other “squeeze” points, introduction of one way streets without contraflow cycling or road closures without cycle gaps.

 

I hope that the schedule is not too confusing. Contact me if there is anything that you are unsure of.

 

If anybody wants to do more, we have set up an action group for the Transport Plan, made up of representatives of CTC, Hitchin forum, Triangle Residents, Friends of the Earth and Green Party. Anybody who would like to contribute is welcome, although the intention for the moment is to keep it fairly small and focussed.  If not, you will be kept up to date through the usual channels.

 

Thank you all in advance

Regards

Alasdair Massie 
CTC Right to Ride Representative, North Herts

CTC is Britain’s largest cycling organisation with 70,000 members. Formed in 1878 we have actively campaigned for better, safer roads, locally and nationally since our inception.

We have a large and active section for Stevenage and North Herts.

Don’t forget, you can keep up to date with all our local campaign news as well as rides and socials by visiting our website at www.northhertsctc.org.uk . For national campaigning news, events, advice, CTC shop and details of member benefits visit www.ctc.org.uk

 

 

Try Facebook in Windows Live Messenger! Try it Now!


Reply | Forward | Messages in this Topic (3)
#109 From: Jim Densham <jim_densham@...>
Date: Fri Sep 5, 2008 1:13 pm
Subject: RE: Hitchin Transport Plan - can you answer these questions ? 		jim_densham@...
Send Email Send Email
 
Alasdair
 
Had a look at this and also agree that most has not been started.
One pinch point (not on the spreadsheet) was created when the pedestrian crossing on Nightingale Road was improved. When cycling down the hill from the junction with Walsworth road one is forced into the traffic by a sudden narrowing of the road ahead of a left turn and the pedestrian crossing. Whilst this makes the road narrower for the crossing to operate it does not in reality slow vehilces down, it merely makes cycling more hazardous.
 
Thanks
Jim



To: Cycle_Hitchin@yahoogroups.com; HitchinTransportPlan@yahoogroups.com; Horse_lover482@...; Louise.biggs@...; Vicky.wyer@...; XMartine31@...; Cmarsden_jones@...; Davidandtabby@...; djohn@...; Helen.hulley@...; Jrymell@...; Julie.hentonpusey@...; Markshaw42@...; Suecov45@...; Tonynorth@...; Claire.rickard@...; Frances.denning@...; gill@...; j.nicholson3@...; Farquhar_jim@...; Jcp.roberts@...; Keith.a.robertson@...; bidlee@...; Mary9.martin@...; paul.abraham@...; Philip.turner@...; sueloveswales@...
From: a.massie@...
Date: Fri, 5 Sep 2008 13:15:50 +0100
Subject: [Cycle_Hitchin] Hitchin Transport Plan - can you answer these questions ?


cid:980233606@07072008-1c1bCyclists Touring Club

Right to Ride Network

www.ctc.org.uk         www.northhertsctc.org.uk

 

Dear all,

 

As you may know Herts County Council (HCC) are in the process of writing a new transport plan for Hitchin. Unfortunately it has not really occurred to them that they should, perhaps, implement the previous (1998) plan first.

 

The 1998 plan was really a very good plan, with lots of positive proposals for improving walking and cycling links in the town, together with traffic calming and better bus and train information. Sadly, there has been little appetite in County Hall to make any of it a reality. In fact, with the exception of (part) pedestrianising the Market square and High Street, I dont believe that ANY of the cycling and walking schemes have been implemented.

 

WHERE WE NEED YOUR HELP is to go through the list of schemes that should have been implemented under the 1998 plan and confirm which HAVE and which HAVE NOT been implemented.

 

I am attaching a schedule of schemes, in both Excel and PDF format so you can read whichever is easier. Could people look through the list and let me know if any of the Progress columns are WRONG. If I have noted it as No information and you know that it has been implemented, or know that it has not, please could you let me know.

 

Under Traffic calming, I would like to know if any of the schemes listed have made conditions WORSE for cycling. Examples would include loss of priority, introduction of central islands or other squeeze points, introduction of one way streets without contraflow cycling or road closures without cycle gaps.

 

I hope that the schedule is not too confusing. Contact me if there is anything that you are unsure of.

 

If anybody wants to do more, we have set up an action group for the Transport Plan, made up of representatives of CTC, Hitchin forum, Triangle Residents, Friends of the Earth and Green Party. Anybody who would like to contribute is welcome, although the intention for the moment is to keep it fairly small and focussed.  If not, you will be kept up to date through the usual channels.

 

Thank you all in advance

Regards

Alasdair Massie 
CTC Right to Ride Representative, North Herts

CTC is Britains largest cycling organisation with 70,000 members. Formed in 1878 we have actively campaigned for better, safer roads, locally and nationally since our inception.

We have a large and active section for Stevenage and North Herts.

Dont forget, you can keep up to date with all our local campaign news as well as rides and socials by visiting our website at www.northhertsctc.org.uk . For national campaigning news, events, advice, CTC shop and details of member benefits visit www.ctc.org.uk

 


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Reply | Forward | Messages in this Topic (3)
#108 From: Alasdair Massie <a.massie@...>
Date: Fri Sep 5, 2008 12:15 pm
Subject: Hitchin Transport Plan - can you answer these questions ? 		alasdairmassie
Offline Offline
Send Email Send Email
 

cid:980233606@07072008-1c1bCyclists Touring Club

Right to Ride Network

www.ctc.org.uk         www.northhertsctc.org.uk

 

Dear all,

 

As you may know Herts County Council (HCC) are in the process of writing a new transport plan for Hitchin. Unfortunately it has not really occurred to them that they should, perhaps, implement the previous (1998) plan first.

 

The 1998 plan was really a very good plan, with lots of positive proposals for improving walking and cycling links in the town, together with traffic calming and better bus and train information. Sadly, there has been little appetite in County Hall to make any of it a reality. In fact, with the exception of (part) pedestrianising the Market square and High Street, I don’t believe that ANY of the cycling and walking schemes have been implemented.

 

WHERE WE NEED YOUR HELP is to go through the list of schemes that should have been implemented under the 1998 plan and confirm which HAVE and which HAVE NOT been implemented.

 

I am attaching a schedule of schemes, in both Excel and PDF format so you can read whichever is easier. Could people look through the list and let me know if any of the “Progress” columns are WRONG. If I have noted it as “No information” and you know that it has been implemented, or know that it has not, please could you let me know.

 

Under “Traffic calming”, I would like to know if any of the schemes listed have made conditions WORSE for cycling. Examples would include loss of priority, introduction of central islands or other “squeeze” points, introduction of one way streets without contraflow cycling or road closures without cycle gaps.

 

I hope that the schedule is not too confusing. Contact me if there is anything that you are unsure of.

 

If anybody wants to do more, we have set up an action group for the Transport Plan, made up of representatives of CTC, Hitchin forum, Triangle Residents, Friends of the Earth and Green Party. Anybody who would like to contribute is welcome, although the intention for the moment is to keep it fairly small and focussed.  If not, you will be kept up to date through the usual channels.

 

Thank you all in advance

Regards

Alasdair Massie 
CTC Right to Ride Representative, North Herts

CTC is Britain’s largest cycling organisation with 70,000 members. Formed in 1878 we have actively campaigned for better, safer roads, locally and nationally since our inception.

We have a large and active section for Stevenage and North Herts.

Don’t forget, you can keep up to date with all our local campaign news as well as rides and socials by visiting our website at www.northhertsctc.org.uk . For national campaigning news, events, advice, CTC shop and details of member benefits visit www.ctc.org.uk

 


Reply | Forward | Messages in this Topic (3)
#107 From: Alasdair Massie <a.massie@...>
Date: Wed Sep 3, 2008 4:25 pm
Subject: FW: Hitchin station forecourt redevelopment 		alasdairmassie
Offline Offline
Send Email Send Email
 

cid:980233606@07072008-1c1bCyclists Touring Club

Right to Ride Network

www.ctc.org.uk         www.northhertsctc.org.uk

 

Dear all,

 

Bad news on Hitchin station.

 

Despite all of our representations, and the time spent meeting representatives of Herts County Council and the rail operator, there appears to have been no material improvement in the proposed cycle access to the station.

 

Just as a reminder of what is proposed, HCC intend to put cyclists onto the pavement along Station Row. When leaving the station people will have to join the road right on the corner where the current taxi lane starts. There will be a taxi waiting area blocking the end of the “cycle path” , and you will have to negotiate traffic entering the bus lane, the taxi rank, the short stay area and the car park access road, all in the space of a few yards. This is the worst possible place to join the traffic.

 

For more information on the proposals and to read our previous letters go to the CTC campaigning page

 

If you think that is an appalling way to treat people who cycle to the station (and you really should think it is appalling) then make a noise about it by writing to your local councillor and your MP (Peter Lilley feedback@...). If you don’t know who your councillor is then go to http://www.hertsdirect.org/actweb/postcode/postcode.cfm

 

Regards
 
 
 
Alasdair Massie
CTC North Herts

 

From: Alasdair Massie
Sent: 03 September 2008 17:00
To: 'Larry Heyman'
Cc: suedye@...; alissa.ede@...; Bob Crossfield; David Burns; 'Dave Holladay'; 'Simon.Young@...'
Subject: RE: Hitchin station interchange

 

Dear Larry,

 

Thank you for your response.

 

We welcome the additional cycle parking and proposed speed limit, HOWEVER it is extremely  unlikely that the proposed 10 mph speed limit will be respected with the road geometry previously shown. As explained at the meeting, if you want people to drive slowly then you must use tight geometry and “pedestrian” surfacing to slow them down. Signs only get ignored.

 

Cyclists already have the legal “right” to ignore poorly designed cycling infrastructure. However the mere existence of that right gives no protection against aggressive motorists who believe otherwise, or from insurance companies who contest injury claims, or indeed from officers of the police who have been known to stop and threaten cyclists with prosecution for cycling in the road. We note that there is no direct, on road route from the cycle parking to the entrance other than to cycle contraflow (as at present).

 

White line “segregation” of pavements is only theoretical and we know that pedestrians only respect this when there are large numbers of cyclists present. In most situations people walk on both sides of the line, making passage on a bicycle slow and frustrating – not what you need when rushing for a train.

 

From your description, no material improvement appears to have been made over the previous, unacceptable, proposals for cycle access. We will therefore regrettably be in the position of having to object, publicly, to the proposals. The current arrangement is bad, however these proposals are even worse.

 

This is a very disappointing result. We have had 10 years to think of something better but instead it is going to be made even worse. Hitchin’s station users deserve better.

Regards
 
 
 
Alasdair Massie
CTC North Herts

 

From: Larry Heyman [mailto:Larry.Heyman@...]
Sent: 03 September 2008 16:22
To: Alasdair Massie
Cc: suedye@...; alissa.ede@...; Bob Crossfield; David Burns
Subject: Hitchin station interchange

 


Dear Alasdair

Alissa Ede and I apologise for the delay in updating you on plans for Hitchin station forecourt following our meeting on site on 3 July. As a result of the discussions that took place, a number of changes have been made to the scheme.

In addition to the existing cycle and motorcycle parking there will be new covered cycle parking for 60 cycles (30 Sheffield racks) plus 12 metres of horizontal rail (under a shelter) for motor cycles. This will be in the area previously designated as over-spill disabled parking. Once these new racks have filled up, we plan to add additional cycle and motorcycle parking. This area will be covered by CCTV, as is the existing cycle parking area.

The spaces designated for 20 minute car parking have been amended to allow motorists to drive straight into them rather than to reverse in.

The swept areas for all vehicles, in particular buses of up to 15 metres, have been carefully checked to ensure there is no conflict with footpaths and kerbs.

A speed limit of 10 mph will be signed within the station forecourt and access road to the car park.

The cycle lane will be visually segregated from the footpath and not shared.

First Capital Connect will ensure that the vegetation adjacent to the fence which runs alongside the Station Terrace cottages will be regularly maintained to keep the footway clear of obstruction.

Cyclists will not be forced to use the segregated cycleway. If they feel more comfortable they will be free to use the roadway to enter and leave the station. It will be their own personal choice.

Safety is our Number One priority and the complete scheme has had a full safety audit and has been signed off accordingly.

A copy of the latest plan is attached; however please note that the positioning of the bus shelters has been changed.

First Capital Connect has offered residents of the Station Terrace properties two alternative discounted parking rates, one allowing parking at any time and the other allowing off-peak parking only.

We are determined that the new station forecourt at Hitchin station should work well for all station users. There are plans for further improvements to Hitchin station, each of which should provide noticeable improvements to our customers’ journeys.

Kind regards

Larry

_____________________________
Larry Heyman
Integration and Partnership Manager
First Capital Connect

Hertford House
1 Cranwood Street
London EC1V 9QS

Tel: 020 7713 2103
Fax: 020 7427 2074
Mob: 07711 149167

larry.heyman@...                
www.firstcapitalconnect.co.uk

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Reply | Forward | Messages in this Topic (1)
#106 From: "Alasdair Massie" <a.massie@...>
Date: Sun Aug 31, 2008 11:17 am
Subject: Bike-Rail Awards 2008 		alasdairmassie
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Dear all,

I have been very impressed by First Capital Connect's attitude
towards cycling since they took over the franchise on the Cambridge
and Peterborough lines. For the first time, we have found ourselves
dealing with an organization that treats us as customers rather than
as an unwelcome nuisance.

I know that people will gripe and moan about overcrowding, time
keeping, staff etc  all the issues that seem impossible to get away
from on the railways, but my experience of FCC has been that they are
making a very conscious effort to make the network more cycle
friendly. What's more, they seem to be doing it without all that
divisive playing off of one marginalized group against another.

FCC have been doing a lot of work quietly, improving cycle parking,
removing carriage restrictions where possible etc. When we
cried "foul" over the proposals for Hitchin Station Forecourt, it was
FCC who backed us up and said that our concerns would have to be
addressed.

I think that deserves recognition, so I have nominated them for
the "Train Operating Company of the Year" award at the "Bike-Rail
Awards 2008".

If you agree with me, why not put in a nomination yourself. You will
have to be quick, the deadline for nominations is 5 September.
Nominate on line at:

http://www.cyclerail.co.uk/pages/entries.html

My press release is at:

http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/Cycle_Hitchin/files/HitchinStatio
n/

Reply | Forward | Messages in this Topic (1)
#105 From: Alasdair Massie <a.massie@...>
Date: Wed Jul 16, 2008 10:58 am
Subject: RE: Station Forecourt 		alasdairmassie
Offline Offline
Send Email Send Email
 
We're teetering on the brink of economic meltdown brought on by the escalating cost of oil, not to mention the possibility of environmental catastrophe, and Hitchin Conservatives want to encourage people to drive to the station.
 
What do you do with these people ?
 
Yes, a letter to the Comet, and to your councillor, would be a very good idea. I will try and find time to do one myself but am pretty snowed under right now.
 
Points to mention:
 
1. Nowhere in Hitchin is more than 10 minutes by bike from the station.
2. You can park up to 20 bikes in the space needed for one car.
3. Virtually all the available space at the station is already taken up by car parking, or circulation space for taxis and buses, resulting in pedestrians and cyclists being marginalised.
4. People driving to the station makes a significant contribution to congestion in Hitchin.
5. "Short stay, kiss and drop" generates twice as much traffic per journey as any other method of reaching the station. It is not a mode that we want to encourage.
6. At a time of escalating oil prices and environmental concerns we should be looking to encourage people to reduce their reliance on motor transport, not encouraging them to drive more.

Regards
 
 
 
Alasdair Massie
CTC North Herts

-----Original Message-----
From: vicky wyer [mailto:vicky.wyer@...]
Sent: 15 July 2008 18:12
To: Alasdair Massie
Subject: RE: Station Forecourt

Hi Alasdair

I had a flyer through the door from the Conservatives today in which Derrick Ashley claims that

 

‘Plans are at an advanced stage for improvements to the Station forecourt. “It has been clear for some time that short term parking provision is sadly lacking and this scheme should alleviate that problem” said Derrick, “In the longer term I am ensuring that the need for more car parking at the station is kept high on the agenda.”

“I am also very keen to see improved access for pedestrians and cyclists” added Derrick.’

 

Is it time for another letter to the Comet?

 

Kind regards

 

Vicky Wyer

 

 

From: Alasdair Massie [mailto:A.Massie@...]
Sent: 15 July 2008 09:53
To: Cycle Hitchin Discussion Group (Cycle_Hitchin@yahoogroups.com)
Cc: Suecov45@...; (Horse_lover482@...); (Louise.biggs@...); Paul Abraham (paul.abraham@...); (Vicky.wyer@...); (XMartine31@...); Anthony North; Belinda.copson@...; Claire Rickard; Cmarsden_jones@...; Davidandtabby@...; djohn@...; Frances and Adrian Denning; Gill Langley; Helen.hulley@...; Jenny Nicholson (j.nicholson3@...); Jim Farquhar ; Jonathan Roberts; Jrymell@...; Julie.hentonpusey@...; Keith Robertson ; Ken and Louise Grace (postmaster@...); Lee Baxter ; Markshaw42@...; Mary Martin; Miriam Victor and Agnes Leton ; Philip Turner (Rev) ; Sue Harris (sueloveswales@...); Liz and Peter Barrett (barrett.liz@...); (cherrywy@...); (chris.e.walby@...); (cjr@...); (david@...); (elaine_ellis@...); Ian Prestwell (ian.pretswell@...); (james.p.knight@...); (linc.bundy@...); (michaelwatkin@...); (nigelwootton@...); (normankr@...); (peter.hanlon@...); (roger.how@...); (simon.hollowood@...); (stevegrady@...); (terry.fosbrook@...); (waowen@...); (wford@...); Alan Hollowood (alanhollowood@...); Alex Pender (alexsg15@...); Andrew Porter (andrewchoras@...); Anne Clare (anne.clare@...); Bob Watts (bob@...); Bruce White (bwhite2008@...); David Pond (dpond@...); David Raeside (d.raeside@...); Geoffrey Preece (furry-aardvark@...); George Mansfield (gf.mansfield@...); Gillian Collins (gillian.collins@...); Howard Knight (knight_howard@...)
Subject: Hitchin Urban Transport Plan

 

For those who haven't seen this, extract from the notes for the most recent Highways Partnership meeting are attached.

 

As Dave has highlighted below, there is a disturbing emphasis on the A505 "Corridor study", or in plain speak a bypass. Building a bypass would do nothing for Hitchin. The traffic counts in the 1998 Hitchin Transport Plan showed traffic to be overwhelmingly local, so a bypass will do nothing to reduce traffic in town. On the contrary it is likely to generate more traffic as traffic levels have been constrained for many years by the finite road space available. The Baldock bypass generated increases of 20-30% in the first year after opening on virtually all roads, including some of those it was intended to relieve.

 

Unfortunately Highway Engineers love to build bypasses. They are big, take a long time to design and build, use up all of the transport funding in one neat parcel, and are easy - none of this trying to accommodate conflicting demands in a confined space. With a bypass you can ignore vulnerable road users and bulldoze any obstructions out of the way.

 

As far as I know there is very little interest in Hitchin for a bypass but clearly there are influential people pushing for it. This needs to be countered. Please take a little time to write to your MP and councillors and emphasise that you want your council tax spent on improving conditions for walking and cycling in town, you do not want it squandered on a Luton expressway.

 

Those views were made clear in consultations and surveys for the 1998 Hitchin Transport Plan, councillors and MPs need reminding.

 

How to contact your councillors and MP:

 

MP for Hitchin is Peter Lilley feedback@...

 

To find your district and county councillors go to http://www.hertsdirect.org/actweb/postcode/postcode.cfm (you can find this shortcut in our "links" page anytime at http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/Cycle_Hitchin/links/). If you are still not sure, contact me and I will try to find out for you.

Regards
 
 
 
Alasdair Massie
CTC North Herts

Want to know more about cycle campaigning in Hitchin and North Herts, or about our programme of rides and socials ? Visit our website at www.northhertsctc.org.uk and join our web group at http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/Cycle_Hitchin/

-----Original Message-----
From: David Borner [mailto:dborner@...]
Sent: 14 July 2008 23:31
To: SUSAN DYE; Clarke Family; Alasdair Massie
Cc: dan gomm; Giles Woodruff; chris honey; bill; Robin Harwood; Gill Langley; Austin Smith; Jonathan Roberts
Subject: HUTP timing and scope

Virtually everything we know about the HUTP process is contained in the attached report from the "Strategy Development Manager" (Roxanne Glaud) at Hertfordshire Highways. It has been presented to the Joint Member Panel (JMP) which oversees Hertfordshire Highways in North Herts. and to the Hitchin Committee.

The process is supposed to take 15 months from April this year i.e. through to July 2009. The flowchart in the Appendix shows the activities, but without timings, which have not yet been agreed.

The only activity known to have been completed is selection of councillors for the Member Working Group (Allison Ashley, Clare Body and Joan Kirby from NHDC; Derrick Ashley, Richard Thake and David Billing from HCC). If they are on schedule then the consultant should be selected about now.

There was some dissent about the process at the Hitchin Committee meeting where chairman/woman/person stressed that the Hitchin Committe would have its say as it thought fit, regardless of Hertfordshire Highways' flowchart skills.


There is a lot of emphasis on Growth Area funding and an A505 corridor study (code for Hitchin bypass study); little on cycling, walking, buses, traffic-calming or other fringe interests.

It is worth reading the exact words about public consultation, which give an insight into the bureaucratic mind.

Regards

Dave

 
.
.
.
.
.
____________________

 

 

----- Original Message ----
From: SUSAN DYE <suedye@...>
To: Clarke Family <snoopy02@...>; David Borner <dborner@...>; Alasdair Massie <A.Massie@...>
Cc: dan gomm <dangomm@...>; Giles Woodruff <giles@...>; chris honey <chrishoney_design@...>; bill <bowker.bill@...>; Robin Harwood <robin.c.harwood@...>
Sent: Thursday, 3 July, 2008 12:29:59 PM
Subject: Hitchin Urban Transport Plan - campaign planning meeting Weds 16 July 7.30pm 18 Verulam Road

Thanks Ellie

 

I propose then that we meet on 16 July 7.30pm at Bill's studio - 18 Verulam Road.

Access via the entrance to the right of the house (looks like a garage). Cycles can be tucked in the side access out of sight or in garden if nec.

 

Dan from N HErts FOE is a skillful campaigner - and can make this date

 

Chris Honey Hitchin Forum chrishoney_design@...

 

Giles from NH GP can also attend and would be non-partisan ... very logical thinker and brings a network with him. giles@...

 

Dave - I agree we should invite the people you mention as well.  Can you issue the invite to them please?

 

The studio can take 10 people easily round a board room table.

 

Draft Agenda

1. what top 5 things do we want in the HUTP (media friendly, snappy)

2. how can we pull on all our contacts to participate calling for 1?

3. how can we best persuade the key cllrs?

4. media strategy

5. Timeline for action

 

David, please can you possibly circulate a pre-briefing for everyone with anything we know about timeline, objectives and scope of the HUTP process?

 

Meeting outcome will be a campaign plan which other Hitchin groups can add to and join in with.

Draft vision - could be picked out of other documents, but might be 'a plan for transport improvements in Hitchin which reduces carbon emissions, reduces traffic levels and the cost of travel for local journets by increasing walking, cycling, public transport and quality of life.'

 

I attach a selection of documents

 

a) draft report on transport for quality of life in the Hitchin Triangle

b) draft chapter for the Draft Triangle Design Statement

 Both very local to the area round the station but potentially applicable more widely.

c) Transport2020 the Hitchin Visioning document from Robin Harwood's group.

 

Also see N H Green Party Manifesto - at http://northherts.greenparty.org.uk/news/35

 

 

Regards

Susan

01462 422814

 

 

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Reply | Forward | Messages in this Topic (1)
#104 From: "David Rossall" <david@...>
Date: Tue Jul 15, 2008 4:06 pm
Subject: Re: cycle paths 		drossall
Offline Offline
Send Email Send Email
  
Yes, that's the one. I am supposed to be replying to an invitation to
get involved in "surveying" it, but have not yet done so.

Reply | Forward | Messages in this Topic (7)
#103 From: Alasdair Massie <a.massie@...>
Date: Tue Jul 15, 2008 10:40 am
Subject: RE: Re: cycle paths 		alasdairmassie
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Send Email Send Email
 
David,
 
Was this the Chiltern cycleway that Kevin Mayne was promoting back in July last year(http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/Cycle_Hitchin/files/ChilternsAONB/) ? Or is there another proposal that I am not aware of ?
 
I have been pushing the idea of developing the Ickneild Way / Hanbury Way between Pirton in the West and Ashwell in the east for many years (so far without any success). If there are other people trying to get other parts improved then it would be good to join forces and share resources.

Regards
 
 
 
Alasdair

-----Original Message-----
From: Cycle_Hitchin@yahoogroups.com [mailto:Cycle_Hitchin@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of David Rossall
Sent: 14 July 2008 18:54
To: Cycle_Hitchin@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [Cycle_Hitchin] Re: cycle paths

If we are thinking as wide as routes to Luton, then the CTC is working
on proposals for an Icknield Way path stretching into Oxfordshire, and
the Pirton route mentioned by Alasdair would roughly form one end.


Reply | Forward | Messages in this Topic (7)
#102 From: Alasdair Massie <a.massie@...>
Date: Tue Jul 15, 2008 8:52 am
Subject: Hitchin Urban Transport Plan 		alasdairmassie
Offline Offline
Send Email Send Email
 
For those who haven't seen this, extract from the notes for the most recent Highways Partnership meeting are attached.
 
As Dave has highlighted below, there is a disturbing emphasis on the A505 "Corridor study", or in plain speak a bypass. Building a bypass would do nothing for Hitchin. The traffic counts in the 1998 Hitchin Transport Plan showed traffic to be overwhelmingly local, so a bypass will do nothing to reduce traffic in town. On the contrary it is likely to generate more traffic as traffic levels have been constrained for many years by the finite road space available. The Baldock bypass generated increases of 20-30% in the first year after opening on virtually all roads, including some of those it was intended to relieve.
 
Unfortunately Highway Engineers love to build bypasses. They are big, take a long time to design and build, use up all of the transport funding in one neat parcel, and are easy - none of this trying to accommodate conflicting demands in a confined space. With a bypass you can ignore vulnerable road users and bulldoze any obstructions out of the way.
 
As far as I know there is very little interest in Hitchin for a bypass but clearly there are influential people pushing for it. This needs to be countered. Please take a little time to write to your MP and councillors and emphasise that you want your council tax spent on improving conditions for walking and cycling in town, you do not want it squandered on a Luton expressway.
 
Those views were made clear in consultations and surveys for the 1998 Hitchin Transport Plan, councillors and MPs need reminding.
 
How to contact your councillors and MP:
 
MP for Hitchin is Peter Lilley feedback@...
 
To find your district and county councillors go to http://www.hertsdirect.org/actweb/postcode/postcode.cfm (you can find this shortcut in our "links" page anytime at http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/Cycle_Hitchin/links/). If you are still not sure, contact me and I will try to find out for you.

Regards
 
 
 
Alasdair Massie
CTC North Herts

Want to know more about cycle campaigning in Hitchin and North Herts, or about our programme of rides and socials ? Visit our website at www.northhertsctc.org.uk and join our web group at http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/Cycle_Hitchin/

-----Original Message-----
From: David Borner [mailto:dborner@...]
Sent: 14 July 2008 23:31
To: SUSAN DYE; Clarke Family; Alasdair Massie
Cc: dan gomm; Giles Woodruff; chris honey; bill; Robin Harwood; Gill Langley; Austin Smith; Jonathan Roberts
Subject: HUTP timing and scope

Virtually everything we know about the HUTP process is contained in the attached report from the "Strategy Development Manager" (Roxanne Glaud) at Hertfordshire Highways. It has been presented to the Joint Member Panel (JMP) which oversees Hertfordshire Highways in North Herts. and to the Hitchin Committee.

The process is supposed to take 15 months from April this year i.e. through to July 2009. The flowchart in the Appendix shows the activities, but without timings, which have not yet been agreed.

The only activity known to have been completed is selection of councillors for the Member Working Group (Allison Ashley, Clare Body and Joan Kirby from NHDC; Derrick Ashley, Richard Thake and David Billing from HCC). If they are on schedule then the consultant should be selected about now.

There was some dissent about the process at the Hitchin Committee meeting where chairman/woman/person stressed that the Hitchin Committe would have its say as it thought fit, regardless of Hertfordshire Highways' flowchart skills.

There is a lot of emphasis on Growth Area funding and an A505 corridor study (code for Hitchin bypass study); little on cycling, walking, buses, traffic-calming or other fringe interests.

It is worth reading the exact words about public consultation, which give an insight into the bureaucratic mind.

Regards

Dave

 
.
.
.
.
.
____________________


----- Original Message ----
From: SUSAN DYE <suedye@...>
To: Clarke Family <snoopy02@...>; David Borner <dborner@...>; Alasdair Massie <A.Massie@...>
Cc: dan gomm <dangomm@...>; Giles Woodruff <giles@...>; chris honey <chrishoney_design@...>; bill <bowker.bill@...>; Robin Harwood <robin.c.harwood@...>
Sent: Thursday, 3 July, 2008 12:29:59 PM
Subject: Hitchin Urban Transport Plan - campaign planning meeting Weds 16 July 7.30pm 18 Verulam Road

Thanks Ellie
 
I propose then that we meet on 16 July 7.30pm at Bill's studio - 18 Verulam Road.
Access via the entrance to the right of the house (looks like a garage). Cycles can be tucked in the side access out of sight or in garden if nec.
 
Dan from N HErts FOE is a skillful campaigner - and can make this date
 
Chris Honey Hitchin Forum chrishoney_design@...
 
Giles from NH GP can also attend and would be non-partisan ... very logical thinker and brings a network with him. giles@...
 
Dave - I agree we should invite the people you mention as well.  Can you issue the invite to them please?
 
The studio can take 10 people easily round a board room table.
 
Draft Agenda
1. what top 5 things do we want in the HUTP (media friendly, snappy)
2. how can we pull on all our contacts to participate calling for 1?
3. how can we best persuade the key cllrs?
4. media strategy
5. Timeline for action
 
David, please can you possibly circulate a pre-briefing for everyone with anything we know about timeline, objectives and scope of the HUTP process?
 
Meeting outcome will be a campaign plan which other Hitchin groups can add to and join in with.
Draft vision - could be picked out of other documents, but might be 'a plan for transport improvements in Hitchin which reduces carbon emissions, reduces traffic levels and the cost of travel for local journets by increasing walking, cycling, public transport and quality of life.'
 
I attach a selection of documents
 
a) draft report on transport for quality of life in the Hitchin Triangle
b) draft chapter for the Draft Triangle Design Statement
 Both very local to the area round the station but potentially applicable more widely.
c) Transport2020 the Hitchin Visioning document from Robin Harwood's group.
 
Also see N H Green Party Manifesto - at http://northherts.greenparty.org.uk/news/35
 
 
Regards
Susan
01462 422814
 

Not happy with your email address?
Get the one you really want - millions of new email addresses available now at Yahoo!

Reply | Forward | Messages in this Topic (1)
#101 From: "David Rossall" <david@...>
Date: Mon Jul 14, 2008 5:53 pm
Subject: Re: cycle paths 		drossall
Offline Offline
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If we are thinking as wide as routes to Luton, then the CTC is working
on proposals for an Icknield Way path stretching into Oxfordshire, and
the Pirton route mentioned by Alasdair would roughly form one end.

Reply | Forward | Messages in this Topic (7)
#100 From: Alasdair Massie <a.massie@...>
Date: Mon Jul 14, 2008 9:46 am
Subject: RE: Re: cycle paths 		alasdairmassie
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Send Email Send Email
 
Following on from my previous email...
 
Just to reinforce what David said, there is not a great deal of scope for completely segregated paths in Hitchin (or indeed in most urban areas). The many paths at the backs of properties in Hitchin are mostly too narrow for shared use and cycling on them is not usually permitted. Some have been included in the NHDC plan (eg Benslow bridge across the railway) because the benefits would far outweigh the problems.
 
Most of the very limited "cycle infrastructure" in North Herts is of very poor quality. Widths are all well below the recommended values, visibility is poor, maintenance and parking enforcement are non-existent and on roadside cycle paths, priority is lost even to private driveways.
 
The preferred philosophy is always to keep cyclists in the road where possible and to make those roads safe and comfortable for cycling. This is done by following the hierarchy of measures below.
 
There are opportunities for high quality, traffic free routes in Hitchin, but not many of them. My personal favourite would be an Ickneild Way path linking Ickleford to the Wilbury end of Letchworth and onwards through Baldock to Ashwell in one direction, and through Pirton to Luton in the other. Unfortunately Network Rail and HCC conspired to put a spanner in that plan by refusing to restore the Cadwell Rail crossing to bridleway status (on miserly cost grounds).
 

                Hierarchy of Provision
Source TA 91/05

b   Traffic Reduction

Particularly HGVs. Divert traffic, traffic calming, road closures.

Consider first

b   Speed reduction

20 mph zones, Homezones, shared surfaces, traffic calming

b   Junctions and Traffic Management

ASLs, signalisation, re-engineering of roundabouts, freedom from banned turns, removal of dedicated vehicle left turn slip lanes.

b   Carriageway Redistribution

Cycle lanes, bus lanes

Consider last

b   Off road provision away from highways

Railway paths, canal towpaths, paths across parks, new cycle paths, ROWIPs

b   Roadside pavement conversions

Rarely satisfactory. Only appropriate for busy, fast rural roads with few side roads

Regards
 
 
 
Alasdair Massie
CTC North Herts

-----Original Message-----
From: Cycle_Hitchin@yahoogroups.com [mailto:Cycle_Hitchin@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of David Rossall
Sent: 13 July 2008 22:12
To: Cycle_Hitchin@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [Cycle_Hitchin] Re: cycle paths

St Michael's Road has cycle lanes, but of the type that slightly
reduce, rather than increase, safety. There's Rose Hill of course.
There are ASLs down Grove Road. There's a cycle path across Ransome's
Rec. There is a very good cycle path from Pirton to Ickleford
(although, bizarrely, a No Vehicles sign at the far end bans its
use).

In a town of Hitchin's road sizes, it's debatable whether there is
space on most roads, and putting lanes in where there is insufficient
space reduces safety rather than increasing it, so I am not sure that
we should look for lanes everywhere.


Reply | Forward | Messages in this Topic (7)
#99 From: Alasdair Massie <a.massie@...>
Date: Mon Jul 14, 2008 9:10 am
Subject: RE: cycle paths 		alasdairmassie
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Send Email Send Email
 
Dear Malcolm and all,
 
In 1999 a Cycle Network Masterplan was produced by specialist consultant "Bikeways Unlimited" for NHDC. It was adopted by NHDC and forms part of the supplementary planning guidance for the District.
 
A copy of the map and description can be found on our file space at:
 
 
or you can download it from NHDC's website under supplementary planning guidance.
 
The implementation period was supposed to be 20 years, which means that it should be half finished. As you probably realise virtually nothing has been even started. There is a complete lack of will and awareness amongst local politicians about cycling. In surveys for the 1998 Hitchin Urban Transportation Plan, construction of a cycle network was the second most popular item (after town centre pedestrianisation), but it might as well have come last.
 
How do we get this moving ?
 
The only way is for people to bang on the table and make a lot of noise. Write to your District Councillor (they commissioned the plan), your county councillor (they have to implement it) and your MP (Peter Lilley feedback@...), ask why nothing has been done and how they are going to put that right. They will give you some waffle about how they are investing in cycling in other parts of the County but the truth is that the budget of cycling in the whole of Hertfordshire is only 700,000. That wouldn't pay for a new house for the leader of the council, let alone a county wide transport network, so point that out to them.
 
If you don't know who your councillor is or how to contact them, go to http://www.hertsdirect.org/actweb/postcode/postcode.cfm (you can find this shortcut in our "links" page anytime at http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/Cycle_Hitchin/links/). If you are still not sure, contact me and I will try to find out for you.
 
Rest assured that we (CTC) regularly raise this issue, but councillors need to be reminded that it is not just one man (me) at a computer who thinks it is important.
 
Regards
 
 
 
Alasdair Massie
CTC Local Representative, North Herts
 
-----Original Message-----
From: Cycle_Hitchin@yahoogroups.com [mailto:Cycle_Hitchin@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Malcolm Smith
Sent: 12 July 2008 20:23
To: Cycle_Hitchin@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [Cycle_Hitchin] cycle paths

Hi,

Does anyone know if there are any plans for cycle paths within Hitchin.
There are loads of off-road lanes snaking around the town, but it is
never clear whether you can cycle on these or not.

As far as i know, I am not aware of any dedicated cycle marking on any
hitchin streets


Reply | Forward | Messages in this Topic (7)
#98 From: "David Rossall" <david@...>
Date: Sun Jul 13, 2008 9:11 pm
Subject: Re: cycle paths 		drossall
Offline Offline
Send Email Send Email
  
St Michael's Road has cycle lanes, but of the type that slightly
reduce, rather than increase, safety. There's Rose Hill of course.
There are ASLs down Grove Road. There's a cycle path across Ransome's
Rec. There is a very good cycle path from Pirton to Ickleford
(although, bizarrely, a No Vehicles sign at the far end bans its
use).

In a town of Hitchin's road sizes, it's debatable whether there is
space on most roads, and putting lanes in where there is insufficient
space reduces safety rather than increasing it, so I am not sure that
we should look for lanes everywhere.

Reply | Forward | Messages in this Topic (7)
#97 From: "Malcolm Smith" <malc.on-groups@...>
Date: Sat Jul 12, 2008 7:22 pm
Subject: cycle paths 		malcolmsmith...
Offline Offline
Send Email Send Email
  
Hi,

Does anyone know if there are any plans for cycle paths within Hitchin.
There are loads of off-road lanes snaking around the town, but it is
never clear whether you can cycle on these or not.

As far as i know, I am not aware of any dedicated cycle marking on any
hitchin streets

Reply | Forward | Messages in this Topic (7)
#96 From: Alasdair Massie <a.massie@...>
Date: Mon Jul 7, 2008 10:16 am
Subject: RE: Hitchin Station Forecourt Update 7 July 2008 		alasdairmassie
Offline Offline
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Dear Susan,
 
Yes, that sums up the main problems.
 
I would not personally put a figure on the desirable speed, more say that the current proposals encourage fast entry and put private cars, buses and taxis in conflict with pedestrians and cyclists desire lines. We would like to see a design that discourages speed through good use of layout and landscaping, reverses current priority so that pedestrians and cyclist come first, and reduces the amount of vehicle / pedestrian / cyclist by keeping car / taxi entry away from the foot / cycle routes.
 
My understanding is that the proposal is for an "adjacent use" path ie pedestrians and cyclists both on the "footway", segregated from each other by a white line. This would be separated from the roadway by a standard highway kerb. No edge margin has been allowed for. The proposed width is inadequate and takes no account of boundaries, kerbs and other constraints.
 
A copy of our follow up letter to Alissa Ede at HCC can be found under the group file space at:
 
 
This goes into detail about some of the technical points.

Regards
 
 
 
Alasdair

-----Original Message-----
From: Cycle_Hitchin@yahoogroups.com [mailto:Cycle_Hitchin@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of SUSAN DYE
Sent: 07 July 2008 10:43
To: Cycle_Hitchin@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [Cycle_Hitchin] Hitchin Station Forecourt Update 7 July 2008

Hi Alasdair ...
 
Great letter.
 
After last week's meeting, seems to me the 3 main problems with the Mouchel design are
 
- entrance designed for 30mph, not 5mph
- cycle route shared with pedestrians (design choice of last resort)
- cycle route dumps cyclists at busiest point of the forecourt where they will have to tangle with taxis and buses, especially on the way out of the station.
 
Or have I missed something?
 
Can you confirm, is the Mouchel design proposing that the Ped/cycling shared space is used by cyclists in both directions, in and out?
 
Also is the proposal for segregated or shared? I thought Alissa said it would be segregated. Do we know if the segregated space will be a level surface or just the pavement and roadway as it is now, with different white linings? There's quite a camber on the pavement at the moment.
 
Cheers
Susan

Alasdair Massie <a.massie@hannahreed.co.uk> wrote:
Cyclists Touring Club
Right to Ride Network
www.ctc.org.uk          www.northhertsctc.org.uk
an update from  the Campaign page.... 
Hitchin Station Forecourt Update 7 July 2008 
On Thursday morning we met with representatives of the County Council (HCC) and the rail operator, First Capital Connect (FCC) at Hitchin station. Dave Holladay, CTCs public transport advisor, made the trip all the way down from Glasgow to be there. Susan Dye, a member of Hitchin Cycling group was also present, representing the Residents Association.
In most respects it was a very positive meeting. Larry Heyman from FCC was very keen to come to a solution that would ensure that all users felt happy. FCC have been working hard on improving cycle access and parking on the Thameslink line at Bedford and St Albans, and have seen that investment rewarded by increases in passenger numbers.
Alissa Ede, from HCCs passenger transport unit (PTU) also came across as refreshingly open minded. Alissa is Dutch, and is new to the post so hopefully will bring a rather more people focused approach to her department. PTU are the client on this project so Alissa is a key player.
The villain of the piece was, rather predictably, the representative from Herts Highways. Negative, obstructive, unhelpful, closed minded, unimaginative Neil Reardon epitomized everything that we have grown to know and love in our Highway Engineers. He had clearly only come to justify his very unsatisfactory design and was not willing to contemplate improvements.
Where do we go from here ?
Everybody is keen to resolve this quickly as there is 100,000 of DfT grant on the table that will be lost if not spent soon. That is good and bad. Good in that it will encourage the designers to make concessions, bad in that they are unlikely to do anything radical.
What can you do ?
Write to your MP (feedback@peterlilley.co.uk) and councilors, asking them to intervene and ensure that the:
1.      Cycling and walking are given the highest priority, and the forecourt is designed around these two modes FIRST. Cycling and walking are, after all, the only two modes that have no adverse impact on traffic and the environment in the town.
2.      Cycling is not marginalized by putting cyclists on the pavement.
3.      Cyclists are given a safe and convenient route to and from the cycle parking and the station building.
HCC invests in creating safe, attractive cycle routes to and from the station, as was outlined in the Hitchin Transport Plan 10 years ago.
 
Alasdair DV Massie CEng MIStructE
CTC Right to Ride Representative, North Herts
CTC is Britains largest cycling organisation with 70,000 members. Formed in 1878 we have actively campaigned for better, safer roads, locally and nationally since our inception.
We have a large and active section for Stevenage and North Herts.
 


Reply | Forward | Messages in this Topic (3)
#95 From: SUSAN DYE <suedye@...>
Date: Mon Jul 7, 2008 9:42 am
Subject: Re: Hitchin Station Forecourt Update 7 July 2008 		susan873437
Offline Offline
Send Email Send Email
 
Hi Alasdair ...
 
Great letter.
 
After last week's meeting, seems to me the 3 main problems with the Mouchel design are
 
- entrance designed for 30mph, not 5mph
- cycle route shared with pedestrians (design choice of last resort)
- cycle route dumps cyclists at busiest point of the forecourt where they will have to tangle with taxis and buses, especially on the way out of the station.
 
Or have I missed something?
 
Can you confirm, is the Mouchel design proposing that the Ped/cycling shared space is used by cyclists in both directions, in and out?
 
Also is the proposal for segregated or shared? I thought Alissa said it would be segregated. Do we know if the segregated space will be a level surface or just the pavement and roadway as it is now, with different white linings? There's quite a camber on the pavement at the moment.
 
Cheers
Susan

Alasdair Massie <a.massie@...> wrote:
Cyclists Touring Club
Right to Ride Network
www.ctc.org.uk          www.northhertsctc.org.uk
an update from  the Campaign page.... 
Hitchin Station Forecourt Update 7 July 2008 
On Thursday morning we met with representatives of the County Council (HCC) and the rail operator, First Capital Connect (FCC) at Hitchin station. Dave Holladay, CTCs public transport advisor, made the trip all the way down from Glasgow to be there. Susan Dye, a member of Hitchin Cycling group was also present, representing the Residents Association.
In most respects it was a very positive meeting. Larry Heyman from FCC was very keen to come to a solution that would ensure that all users felt happy. FCC have been working hard on improving cycle access and parking on the Thameslink line at Bedford and St Albans, and have seen that investment rewarded by increases in passenger numbers.
Alissa Ede, from HCCs passenger transport unit (PTU) also came across as refreshingly open minded. Alissa is Dutch, and is new to the post so hopefully will bring a rather more people focused approach to her department. PTU are the client on this project so Alissa is a key player.
The villain of the piece was, rather predictably, the representative from Herts Highways. Negative, obstructive, unhelpful, closed minded, unimaginative Neil Reardon epitomized everything that we have grown to know and love in our Highway Engineers. He had clearly only come to justify his very unsatisfactory design and was not willing to contemplate improvements.
Where do we go from here ?
Everybody is keen to resolve this quickly as there is 100,000 of DfT grant on the table that will be lost if not spent soon. That is good and bad. Good in that it will encourage the designers to make concessions, bad in that they are unlikely to do anything radical.
What can you do ?
Write to your MP (feedback@...) and councilors, asking them to intervene and ensure that the:
1.      Cycling and walking are given the highest priority, and the forecourt is designed around these two modes FIRST. Cycling and walking are, after all, the only two modes that have no adverse impact on traffic and the environment in the town.
2.      Cycling is not marginalized by putting cyclists on the pavement.
3.      Cyclists are given a safe and convenient route to and from the cycle parking and the station building.
HCC invests in creating safe, attractive cycle routes to and from the station, as was outlined in the Hitchin Transport Plan 10 years ago.
 
Alasdair DV Massie CEng MIStructE
CTC Right to Ride Representative, North Herts
CTC is Britains largest cycling organisation with 70,000 members. Formed in 1878 we have actively campaigned for better, safer roads, locally and nationally since our inception.
We have a large and active section for Stevenage and North Herts.
 
 


Reply | Forward | Messages in this Topic (3)
#94 From: Alasdair Massie <a.massie@...>
Date: Mon Jul 7, 2008 9:13 am
Subject: Hitchin Station Forecourt Update 7 July 2008 		alasdairmassie
Offline Offline
Send Email Send Email
 
Cyclists Touring Club

Right to Ride Network

www.ctc.org.uk          www.northhertsctc.org.uk

an update from  the Campaign page.... 

Hitchin Station Forecourt Update 7 July 2008 

On Thursday morning we met with representatives of the County Council (HCC) and the rail operator, First Capital Connect (FCC) at Hitchin station. Dave Holladay, CTCs public transport advisor, made the trip all the way down from Glasgow to be there. Susan Dye, a member of Hitchin Cycling group was also present, representing the Residents Association.

In most respects it was a very positive meeting. Larry Heyman from FCC was very keen to come to a solution that would ensure that all users felt happy. FCC have been working hard on improving cycle access and parking on the Thameslink line at Bedford and St Albans, and have seen that investment rewarded by increases in passenger numbers.

Alissa Ede, from HCCs passenger transport unit (PTU) also came across as refreshingly open minded. Alissa is Dutch, and is new to the post so hopefully will bring a rather more people focused approach to her department. PTU are the client on this project so Alissa is a key player.

The villain of the piece was, rather predictably, the representative from Herts Highways. Negative, obstructive, unhelpful, closed minded, unimaginative Neil Reardon epitomized everything that we have grown to know and love in our Highway Engineers. He had clearly only come to justify his very unsatisfactory design and was not willing to contemplate improvements.

Where do we go from here ?

Everybody is keen to resolve this quickly as there is 100,000 of DfT grant on the table that will be lost if not spent soon. That is good and bad. Good in that it will encourage the designers to make concessions, bad in that they are unlikely to do anything radical.

What can you do ?

Write to your MP (feedback@...) and councilors, asking them to intervene and ensure that the:

1.      Cycling and walking are given the highest priority, and the forecourt is designed around these two modes FIRST. Cycling and walking are, after all, the only two modes that have no adverse impact on traffic and the environment in the town.

2.      Cycling is not marginalized by putting cyclists on the pavement.

3.      Cyclists are given a safe and convenient route to and from the cycle parking and the station building.

HCC invests in creating safe, attractive cycle routes to and from the station, as was outlined in the Hitchin Transport Plan 10 years ago.

 

Alasdair DV Massie CEng MIStructE

CTC Right to Ride Representative, North Herts

CTC is Britains largest cycling organisation with 70,000 members. Formed in 1878 we have actively campaigned for better, safer roads, locally and nationally since our inception.

We have a large and active section for Stevenage and North Herts.

 

 


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#93 From: Cycle_Hitchin@yahoogroups.com
Date: Wed Jun 25, 2008 10:50 pm
Subject: New file uploaded to Cycle_Hitchin 		Cycle_Hitchin@yahoogroups.com
Send Email Send Email
  
Hello,

This email message is a notification to let you know that
a file has been uploaded to the Files area of the Cycle_Hitchin
group.

   File        : /HitchinStation/DLB station forecourt.pdf
   Uploaded by : cycle_faster <dborner@...>
   Description : D Borner letter to interested parties

You can access this file at the URL:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Cycle_Hitchin/files/HitchinStation/DLB%20station%2\
0forecourt.pdf

To learn more about file sharing for your group, please visit:
http://help.yahoo.com/l/us/yahoo/groups/original/members/web/index.htmlfiles

Regards,

cycle_faster <dborner@...>

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