Dear all,

Don’t forget to cast your vote in today’s county council and European parliament elections.

CTC are a non-political body so we are not going to try to influence who you vote for, we just want to make sure that you cast that vote. That, after all, is what democracy all boils down to. If you don’t vote then you can’t complain about who gets in.

Has your councillor been a good councillor ? Has he or she taken up issues on your behalf, have they supported constructive initiatives or are they just dead wood, frustrating attempts to improve the world ?

If they are good, give them your support. If they are rubbish, vote them out.

Two honourable mentions that I would like to give for councillors who have shown a positive attitude towards cycling go to David Billing in Hitchin and to Doug Drake in Royston. The choice of who you vote for is of course yours, but DO go out and VOTE for somebody.

Polling stations stay open until 10 pm (or at least mine does, check your polling card).

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 North Herts and Stevenage.

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

 

Dear all,

 

There is an opportunity for all to question four County Council candidates TOMORROW evening in Hitchin. See details below from Dan Gomm of Friends of the Earth.

 

Apologies if you already know, but we have now managed to get four county council candidates to take questions and lead a discussion following "The Age of Stupid" showing this Saturday 30th May at Walsworth Road Baptist Church, Walsworth Road Hitchin SG4 9SP 7:30 prompt (bring a cushion!). MAP HERE This is a great chance to get our voice heard by those who will make county wide decisions. When they're in power we want them to look back and remember this night. Come along!

 

Please take the time to go along and challenge them over why so little is being done to improve conditions for walking and cycling in Hitchin, and to educate people into more responsible travel habits.

 

In particular you might like to ask:

b     The NHDC cycle network masterplan is 10 years old but virtually nothing has been built. What will the candidate do to ensure that it is built, to a good quality, and within a reasonable time frame (10 years) ?

b     What will they do to ensure that there is a suitable, reliable funding stream to implement the plan ? Current levels of spending on cycling in Hertfordshire are around �0.7million, or 70 pence per person per year. To build the Hitchin cycle network would need an investment of �4.70 per person per year for 10 years – not an unreasonable investment considering that �4.70 will not get you beyond Letchworth on the train, just the one time.

b     Section 106 money (“planning gain”), allocated to cycling and sustainable transport, is not being used constructively (if at all). In 2008 just under �1 million of contributions were received in North Herts alone, most allocated to cycling and sustainable transport – ie more than the cycling budget for the whole county. What will the candidates do to ensure that S106 money is spent effectively on improving conditions for walking and cycling ?

b     Obesity costs Hertfordshire over �12 million per year (17 times what is spent on cycling). A large part of this is down to our inactive travel habits. What will the candidate do to get people out of their cars and onto bikes to prevent them getting so fat that they need expensive hospital treatment ?

b     Personal travel planning is cheap (�24 per household or around �300,000 for the whole of Hitchin) and effective (67% increase in cycling in Darlington in one year). It reduces the size of the problem (unnecessary car use) instead of trying to accommodate the symptoms (congestion) so is a genuine, long term solution. What will the candidates do to bring universal personal transport planning to Hitchin ?

b     Where “cycling facilities” have been built they are of dreadful quality – inappropriate to the situation, substandard width, substandard visibility (ie unsafe) and littered with hazards. Designers are currently free to ignore the Hertfordshire Cycling Strategy, National guidelines and feedback from expert user groups like CTC, and all without fear of reproach. What will the candidate do to ensure that designers follow BEST PRACTICE when designing for cycling, that the recommendations of CTC and other user groups are incorporated, not ignored, and that dangerous, “token” facilities such as inappropriate pavement conversions are not built� in the face of opposition from users ?

 

Please take the time to attend and give candidates a grilling. If you don’t set the agenda then others will and you may not like the results.

 

A quick update on the Hitchin Transport Plan. �It has not been a happy consultation process. When the report on the February stakeholder workshop was published, I had to question whether I had been at the same event. Talking to some other attendees, they also felt that reporting was distinctly weighted towards road / car park building and glossed over traffic reduction / designing for vulnerable road users.

 

We have taken this up with the consultants. As expected they have been thoroughly uncooperative – refusing to release recordings of the event that might expose their biased reporting. I have put in a Freedom of Information request for the recordings but HCC have refused, alleging that the recordings contain sensitive personal data (our names apparently – which are published in the report anyway !). It is just stonewalling and speaking cynically, they know that as volunteers with jobs and families to look after, we just don’t have the time to prise information out of them. It sets the tone though – this is HCC / Faber Maunsell’s consultation and we (mere tax payers) should keep our noses out.

 

Please give your councillors a hard time about this. The transport plan will set the scene for what happens in Hitchin over the next decade. HCC would dearly like to spend it all on a big, shiny new road to Luton, and some tinkering with junctions in town to add motor vehicle capacity (redistributing road space AWAY from cycling). If you want something better than this then you need to tell your councillors.

 

Recent experience of Transport Plan implementation in Baldock is very worrying – HCC have blocked one cycle route (by making it one way without contraflow provision) and have created some very dangerous and substandard pavement “cycle paths” despite vigorous opposition from ourselves. Councillors think that nobody is interested in cycling. You need to let them know that you are.

 

For detail on any of the above see the new look campaign page on our local website.

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 North Herts and Stevenage.

 

 

Dear all

Our Revolution 5 (0.5 MB) campaign newsletter is available on the CTC North Herts website.

It has been a busy few months for cycle campaigners in North Herts – some good, some bad, but plenty of it. I’m not sure that we would have coped with it all if the credit crunch hadn’t eased pressure on fee paying work.

Frustratingly, much of that workload has come about simply because designers haven’t followed the plans and strategies that have been worked out over the years, and haven’t followed basic design guidelines.

That is inexcusable. It wastes our time and resources, it wastes the time of officers and councilors, it makes a mockery of the consultation process, and it means  that we are forever battling to ensure that conditions are not made worse, instead of  planning how to make them better.

Elsewhere we have important news from the Department of Health and from NICE.  We have long known about the obesity time bomb ticking away in our society.  We know that the key to defusing that bomb is to encourage better diet and more active lifestyles.

The Department for Health has now published guidelines on what needs to be done and who needs to do it.  Not surprisingly, much of it says  exactly what we have been saying for years about creating a more walking and cycling friendly environment, and encouraging active travel for everyday journeys.

In this month’s issue:

b   Pavement conversions – no thanks

b   Be healthy, be active. News from NICE and the Department for Health

b   Going Dutch – learning from the experts.

b   Don’t blame your genes – the impact of exercise and lifestyle on cancer rates.

b   Turn it off – hands free phones and road safety.

b   The secret of happiness – quality of life and transport.

b   Mapping the future – paper or pixels ?

b   Following the plan – or perhaps why aren’t we following the plans ?

b   Happy endings – triumph and tears from the world championships.

 We hope that you will find this newsletter interesting and thought provoking. Please contact us with any queries. You can find more information on many of these issues on the campaign page of our website below.

 

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 North Herts and Stevenage.

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

 

Dear Ms Cameron-Rollo,

Thank you for sending LTP update no.8. I was rather disturbed to read the article on Hitchin Station Forecourt.

“Cycle tracks will not be created through the conversion of footways, without a full assessment by reference to the hierarchy of solutions, a cycle audit and full consultation with all stakeholders.” Hertfordshire Cycling Strategy Annexe 2

We have had a series of “honesty” issues with representatives from HCC recently, where officers have claimed that wonderful new cycling facilities are being provided, but in fact what has been provided are very poor quality facilities – geometrically substandard, from the very bottom of the Hierarchy of Provision, implemented against the wishes of users and against the policy explicitly stated in the Hertfordshire Cycling Strategy. This sort of “provision” creates more problems not solutions, and that is the last thing that anybody needs when setting off on a bicycle in North Hertfordshire.

The cycle path built at Hitchin Station Forecourt is one of those poor quality, inappropriate facilities. Far from “making access for pedestrians and cyclists easier” it makes access for cyclists awkward, it creates potential conflict with pedestrians and it puts cyclists at risk due to the extraordinary lack of thought where it puts them back people back into the roadway. It was put in against our opposition, in breach of both the Hertfordshire Cycling Strategy, and against national guidelines. It is completely inappropriate for its location – where a “top of hierarchy” solution could and should have been used.

Hertfordshire County Council is fully aware of this. We wrote to James Carter of Mouchel on 26 April 2008 giving our comments, together with the correspondence from the previous re-build (nothing had changed in the intervening decade other than HCC had realised that our recommendations for the BUS circulation were right – this did not apparently make them think that our recommendations on cycle access would also be right).

We wrote to Neil Reardon on 20 June 2008. We wrote to local councillors on 26 June 2008. We wrote to HCC’s Alissa Ede on 3 July 2008. We wrote to Councillor Clements (HCC’s cycling champion) on 8 September 2008, enclosing our press release condemning the scheme built. The last of these is attached for your reference.

It is inconceivable that HCC simply “forgot” all of this dialogue, or the very strong opposition to the proposals. Frankly this was a disgraceful example of a council ignoring both standards of good practice and the feedback from expert user groups. Boasting about what a good job you have done is downright dishonest.

We trust that you will print a correction. We suggest the following wording – we would suggest something a lot stronger but our aim is to educate, not to embarrass or humiliate.

In the April LTP bulletin we reported that we had made improvements “designed to create easier, segregated access for buses, taxis, pedestrians and cyclists.” We neglected to report that the cycle access takes the form of a shared pavement. This was built despite vigorous opposition from the users (CTC) on the grounds that it is inappropriate for the environment, and creates a hazard where people have to re-join the roadway. The Hertfordshire Cycling Strategy requires users to be consulted before converting footways to shared use.

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 North Herts and Stevenage.

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

 

Cyclists Touring Club

Right to Ride Network

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

Dear Roy,

 

Could you take up this issue in your capacity as HCC’s “Cycling Champion”.

 

HCC, in partnership with First Capital Connect, are planning to dig up the forecourt at Hitchin Station. The basic philosophy – to swap the current bus and taxi lanes - is fine, in fact we suggested it 10 years ago before it was dug up in 1999. We were ignored then but time has proved us right so you would think people would listen to us now.

 

Unfortunately not, which brings us to the problem.

 

The “cycle access” is appalling, and where it emerges onto the roadway it is downright dangerous. Herts Highways’ engineers are frankly being extremely obstructive about it, refusing to diverge in any way from their original design even though we commented on it back in April this year. They refuse to follow national guidance, or to take any consideration for our concerns. It is a dreadful way to treat public money. Let us not forget that it is only 10 years since the forecourt was last dug up at great public expense. They got it wrong that time because they were too arrogant to listen; they are doing exactly the same again.

 

It really is time that HCC started following national guidelines and designing to “best practice”.

 

In summary:

1.       A “pavement conversion” is neither appropriate nor acceptable. It is the measure of last resort in the “Hierarchy of measures” and should not be used here.

2.       The pavement shown would not in any case be wide enough for cycle / pedestrian use.

3.       The point where it emerges onto the roadway is the worst possible point in the whole development. It has poor visibility, it will be obstructed by waiting taxis, and cyclists will be emerging from the “wrong” side of the road,  into traffic that is not expecting them, that is in a hurry, and could be going in any of 3 directions. It is a ridiculously dangerous design for no reason.

4.       The geometry with wide lanes and sweeping curves encourages SPEED. Speed creates danger and is entirely inappropriate in this sort of environment.

5.       There is a much better solution, in fact there are many. They rely on creating a LOW SPEED (top of the “Hierarchy of Measures”) environment by using geometry and landscaping that do not permit inappropriate speed.

 

The project is being managed by Alissa Ede. You will no doubt be offered platitudes about 10 mph limits, hedge cutting and safety audits (as I have been offered). 10 years ago Railtrack said we needn’t worry about the cycle track being systematically blocked by cars and taxis, because there would be parking restrictions. You can see for yourself how effective that is.

 

There is a reason for the national guidance saying what it does, and whatever Herts Highways engineers might think, they do not know better.

 

Attached is a press release on the subject that was issued today. You can find out more information and read correspondence from our website here. If you want, I can give you copies of all the correspondence we had with Railtrack 10 years ago – all of the issues are the same, as unfortunately, is the attitude of those who we have to deal with.

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.

 

Dear all

Need some feel good photos ? I spent yesterday morning with my camera by the riverbank and on the commons of Cambridge. Some of them a bit blurry - it is just a snap shot camera and it takes a long time thinking about the photo before actually taking it.

 

http://www.cyclestreets.net/galleries/90/

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 North Herts and Stevenage.

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

 

Dear all,

 

See below. We need to start gathering evidence to present to the scrutiny committee. It will be no use us standing up and saying “we think what you are doing is rubbish” because they will just tell us what wonderful cycle routes they have installed around Hitchin station’s car park.

 

We need evidence.

 

Can I suggest some possible topics (please suggest more):

b  Level of investment. 70p per year per head – it is never going to achieve anything. After all we are starting from nothing. What level should it be ? How much do others spend ? What do they spend on roads (new build / maintenance) where we already have a comprehensive network.

b  Blatant breaches of the Cycling Strategy. Eg inappropriate use of pavement conversion without consultation. Closing roads / making them one way without maintaining 2 way cycle access.

b  Ignoring long standing plans eg not building cycle routes in Baldock when the High St was built. Not dealing with the Paynes Park gyratory in Hitchin when it was dug up.

b  Skewed priorities. In the 1998 Hitchin Transport Plan, building the cycle network had the second largest number of votes – absolutely none of it has been implemented.

b  Ignoring need – 75% of adults are scared to ride on Britain’s roads (85% of women).

b  No joined up thinking. Obesity costs Hertfordshire’s health authorities �12.25Million per year and yet they only spend �0.7Million on encouraging cycling.

Other peoples’ thoughts ? We do not want to waste this opportunity.

Photos – let’s have them on the CycleStreets photo map (you need to register to upload), circulate the links to all interested.

 

Regards

 

Alasdair

 

 

Last week members approved the above scrutiny.  On Tuesday I met with officers from Environment to discuss timing.  It is pencilled into the programme for Oct/Nov.

It will be some time after the county election in June  before the date for scrutiny is agreed.  Either myself or a Democratic Services Officer will then be in touch with you.

tom

Tom Hawkyard
Head of Scrutiny

Hertfordshire County Council
County Hall
Pegs Lane
Hertford
SG13 8DE

01992 555300

****Disclaimer****

The information in this message should be regarded as confidential and is intended for the addressee only unless explicitly stated. If you have received this message in error it must be deleted and the sender notified. The views expressed in this message are personal and not necessarily those of Hertfordshire County Council unless explicitly stated. Please be aware that emails sent to or received from Hertfordshire County Council may be intercepted and read by the council. Interception will only occur to ensure compliance with council policies or procedures or regulatory obligations, to prevent or deter crime, or for the purposes of essential maintenance or support of the email system.

 

Dear all,

 

The latest issue of our Revolution newsletter is ready to read. A copy will shortly be available on the Campaign page of the CTC website, but if you can’t wait that long there are copies in the file space of various web forums below (click on the right one as these are member only areas).

 

The file size is 0.5 MB

 

Herts Cycle Campaigning

Cycle Hitchin

Hitchin Transport Plan

 

In this month’s issue:

b   Pavement conversions – no thanks

b   Be healthy, be active. News from NICE and the Department for Health

b   Going Dutch – learning from the experts.

b   Don’t blame your genes – the impact of exercise and lifestyle on cancer rates.

b   Turn it off – hands free phones and road safety.

b   The secret of happiness – quality of life and transport.

b   Mapping the future – paper or pixels ?

b   Following the plan – or perhaps why aren’t we following the plans ?

b   Happy endings – triumph and tears from the world championships.

 

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 North Herts and Stevenage.

 

 

Not that we have many ASLs in Hertfordshire, but it would be nice to prevent people obstructing the ones that we do have (see photo here).

 

You may be interested in signing the no 10 petition below. Pass it on to your friends.

 

 

Dear all,

Rob Smith, the Assistant Director for Transport Management at Herts Highways, just can’t resist telling people what a fantastic improvement they are making for cycling in Bedford Road.

In his latest email to Councillor David Billing he claims:

“...we always investigate ways of improving conditions for cyclists when designing new road schemes and it has been possible in the current proposals for the Paynes Park Gyratory to include a very useful, safe facility for cyclists ... we think that cyclists will benefit from the reduced speeds along Old Park Road.”

You won’t be surprised to know that we do not agree. You can read our response on the Cycle Hitchin file space here (0.4 MB).

Of course, if it is only me that writes then councillors probably won’t do anything. If you haven’t already done so, please take a few moments to contact your councillors and MP and let them know your views, so that they know it isn’t just one person making trouble.

Contact your councillors here: district and county ...

and your MP here: Peter Lilley.

Join the Cycle Hitchin e-group to see the letter by clicking the link right (don’t worry, it is a quiet group, you won’t be flooded with emails).

Did you attend the Hitchin Transport Plan workshop in February ? I did, and I am rather concerned about the way that the findings were reported in the consultant’s report. I am not alone, having talked to some other people who attended, there seems to have been a distinct slant put on the proceedings to suggest general support for a new Stevenage to Luton highway, more car parking and other generally unhelpful measures.

Were you there ? How do you think that the report compares with what was said in your group ? Contact me with your views. You can read the report here (3MB).

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 North Herts and Stevenage.

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

 

If the Brand St / Grammar School Walk / Paynes Pk junction is put on a raised table then a bus or HGV would be able to overrun the pavement build out.

 

The trick is to use materials that suggest to drivers that the “overrun” area is not strictly road, and to pedestrians that it is not strictly footway. That way you should not get conflict. If you do, by having it on a raised table it should be low speed conflict.

 

 

Hi

Just one point: How will buses get from Brand Street into Payne’s Park?

 

Vicky

 

 

Hi all

Follow the link to find an interesting article showing a reduction in accidents in a new shared space scheme in Ashford despite recorded speeds of over 20mph.

http://www.green-places.co.uk/node/540

The links within the article are worth a look too.

Vicky

 

 

Dear all

I have marked up HCC’s drawing with my comments. These can be viewed on the Cycle Hitchin file space here (0.8 MB). Please take a moment to look at them and let me know if you agree or disagree, or if I have missed something.

I will raise the subject of lane width once again. The policy I am suggesting is to paint cycle logos in the road, in the centre of the left hand lane, so that there is no question of drivers feeling that people should not be riding there. It will also help less experienced riders by discouraging them from hugging the kerb.

I will reiterate the point that this is not a “solution” to the problems of the gyratory, it is just swapping one set of problems for a different set of problems. The solution is to restore two way flow.

If you are not on the Cycle_Hitchin group then you won’t be able to see the plans. Click on the link to join. Unfortunately, while the  www.northhertsctc.org.uk campaign page is being restructured it probably won’t be possible to put the drawings there.

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 North Herts and Stevenage.

 

 

Would somebody like to nip down to Old Park Rd and take a photo of the buildout mentioned ?

 

Whilst you are there, a couple of photos of the exit to Waitrose car park (where a cycle entry is proposed) would be useful, as would a photograph of the pedestrian access here.

 

If possible, could you upload the photos onto the CycleStreets photo map (you will need to register) so that it is publicly accessible. Failing that, put it in the Photos section of this site.

 

 

Dear David,

 

Thanks for your comments. Nice to see that these reflect many of the points that I have already made to HCC.

 

To keep people in touch, yesterday I wrote to all of the councillors on the Joint Highways Panel asking them to:

1.       Put an immediate halt on all conversions of roadside footways to cycle paths. And:

2.       Review all highway schemes to see how improvements can be incorporated for cycling.

I pointed out that this is already a requirement of the Hertfordshire Cycling Strategy. Both would be relevant to Paynes Park.

 

A little more background….

 

 I believe that the intention is to formally convert Elmside walk into a shared use path. In fact I thought that it already was one. One positive feature of this proposal is that the pavement conversion will allow people to legitimately cycle against the traffic from Brand Street to pick up the Elmside Walk path. The other positive feature is that it allows people to avoid the Priory bypass roundabout.

 

It is because of those two points that we originally gave the scheme our qualified support, as a temporary measure whilst a way to address the root of the problem (the one way system) was investigated. We have since withdrawn all support for the scheme as it has become clear that HCC have no intention of even looking into the one way system.

 

Working on the assumption that HCC will probably implement this scheme whether we like it or not, we will still be giving detailed comments. On the issue of harassment / intimidation of cyclists who remain in the road, we have recommended the use of cycle logos in the carriageway to remove any excuse for road hogs to behave belligerently.

 

 

Dear all

 

I have just received details of HCC’s proposals for conversion of the footway alongside Bedford Road to shared use. I have put copies of the letter, drawing of the cycle route, and plan of the junction of Bedford Rd / Old Park Rd / Oughtenhead Way on the Cycle Hitchin file space in the PaynesPkBedfordRoadGyratory folder.

 

Please have a look at the proposals and let me have any comments. I will compile these and send a detailed set of comments back to HCC.

 

I haven’t had a detailed look at the proposals myself yet. Graham Harris, the engineer who is developing this project, seems to be one of the more open minded engineers in Herts Highways. He has clearly listened to the comments that we have made so far, even if the result is still rather unsatisfactory. I have to say that I never, at any stage, expected Herts Highways to turn round and say “OK, we will do away with the one way system” even though that is clearly what is needed, and that is what the Hitchin Transport Plan and 1999 NHDC Cycle Routes Masterplan both said. So, I intend to keep any comments as positive as I can, whilst pointing out that we have just called for HCC to put an immediate halt to conversion of footways to shared use (more details on the campaign page at www.northhertsctc.org.uk once Tina has rebuilt it).

If you are not on the Cycle_Hitchin group then you won’t be able to see the plans. Click on the link to join. Unfortunately, while the  www.northhertsctc.org.uk campaign page is being restructured it probably won’t be possible to put the drawings there.

 

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 North Herts and Stevenage.

 

 

 

Dear all,

 

Well I hope that this will be the last word. Letter to Rob Smith, Assistant Director of Transport Management at HCC, now posted on the Cycle Hitchin file space.

 

Link to Cycle Hitchin - Paynes Park file space here:

 

Link direct to letter (530 kb) here.

 

Click to join Cycle_Hitchin

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 North Herts and Stevenage.

 

 

 

 

Dear Mr Massie

Reference number: FOI/ENV/03/09/1147

On 05/03/09, we received the following request for information from you:

Please confirm which County and District Councillors serve on the Joint member Panel for Highways and Transport for North Herts.

Your request for information has been considered under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. In accordance with the Act I can confirm that Hertfordshire County Council holds the information you have requested and respond as follows.

• Hertfordshire County Councillors who serve on the Joint Member Panel for North Herts Highways are:

A.F. Hunter (Chairman), Dr N.E. Agar, D.Billing, N. Brook, D. Drake, K.F. Emsall, M.R.M Muir and R.A.C. Thake.
Substitute: Councillor D.A. Ashley

• North Hertfordshire District Councillors who serve on the Joint Member Panel for North Herts Highways are:

  Fiona Hill (Vice Chairman), John Booth, Tom Brindley, Lee Downie, David Kearns, Joan Kirby, M. Kirkland and A. Millard.
Substitute: Clare Body and P.C.W. Burt.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me, quoting the reference number on this letter. To find out more about Freedom of Information, please visit www.hertsdirect.org/foi.

If you are unhappy with the way the County Council has handled your request for information, you may complain through the County Council's complaints procedure www.hertsdirect.org.uk/complaints

If you are unhappy with the outcome of the complaints procedure you are entitled to ask the Information Commissioner to investigate your complaint. You should write to: FOI/EIR Complaints Resolution, Information Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Regards

Jo Crawley


________________________________________
Information Governance Unit
Hertfordshire County Council
Telephone: 01992 555848
Fax: 01992 588117
Email: information.governance@...
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****Disclaimer****

The information in this message should be regarded as confidential and is intended for the addressee only unless explicitly stated. If you have received this message in error it must be deleted and the sender notified. The views expressed in this message are personal and not necessarily those of Hertfordshire County Council unless explicitly stated. Please be aware that emails sent to or received from Hertfordshire County Council may be intercepted and read by the council. Interception will only occur to ensure compliance with council policies or procedures or regulatory obligations, to prevent or deter crime, or for the purposes of essential maintenance or support of the email system.

 

Dear all,

 

The Paynes Park gyratory debacle is rumbling slowly to a rather unsatisfactory conclusion. It is not all bad news however. On a positive note, the criticism that we have heaped onto HCC for their failure to take on board the recommendations of the 1998 and 1999 plans, or our own recommendations, or the requirements of national guidance, has prompted HCC to pass “cycling provision” to the scrutiny committee. I have been advised that this will not take place until the autumn and will take the form of county wide scrutiny rather than anything specific for North Herts.

 

As far as Paynes Park gyratory goes, I think that it is fair to say that HCC have paid absolutely NO attention to any of our comments. They continue to claim that they cannot do so because of the need to provide for elderly and disabled people in the area. Frankly I am lost for words. The suggestion that  the Paynes Park gyratory is anything other than a serious barrier to elderly or disabled pedestrians is laughable. It is even more laughable to suggest that the needs of those vulnerable users (low traffic volume and speed) conflict with the needs of cyclists  (low traffic volume and speed) or that the solution for one (restore the gyratory to two way flow, removing most of the traffic from Bedford Rd and Paynes Park) is any different to the solution for the other.

 

Frankly I am appalled by the lazy way that HCC have gone about this project. What appals me most however is the thoroughly cynical and dishonest way in which officers have tried to mislead councillors about their motives. Please take a little time to quiz your councillor about why this is being allowed to happen and why they are not questioning it.

 

You can read all of the relevant correspondence in the File space of the Cycle Hitchin e-group at http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/Cycle_Hitchin/files/PaynesPkBedford%20RoadGyratory/

 

I will write one last letter to HCC challenging their ridiculous claims but then must put an end to this rather unproductive dialogue.

 

Please take a little time to contact your councillors (district and county) and your MP (Peter Lilley), and let them know your views. Remember, if people don’t then nothing positive will ever happen.

 

“...The vision is based on redressing the balance of priorities, at least within the town centre, in favour of pedestrians, cyclists and public transport in preference of the private car... ... the Paynes Park and Bedford Road parts of the one way system will be used only by cyclists and public transport...” 1998 Hitchin Urban Transport Plan – HCC, Mouchel We wish ! According to HCC that would be terrible for elderly and disabled pedestrians !

 

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 North Herts and Stevenage.

 

 

Dear all,

 

We received the following from Rob Smith, Assistant Director Transport Management at Herts Highways:

 

“I am aware of this recent exchange between you and my colleague, Roxanne Glaud and it is clear that you disagree with the approach Herts County Council are taking on the current combined maintenance and improvement scheme on Old Park Road and Paynes Park in Hitchin

However, this scheme has been developed following consultation with local representatives and, in light of all the various pressures and demands on this part of the highway network, it has been decided that this is the appropriate design to be implemented. We remain committed to delivering this scheme and will be continuing to do so.

We will monitor its effectiveness following its implementation

There will continue to be opportunities to develop the highway network in the area as various developments take place in and around the town and we will always look to see how cycling can be incorporated in to any schemes but, as is often the case, there will frequently have to be compromises.”

 

Roughly translated this says “We are ignoring your views and going ahead regardless. We have no plans to implement any other cycling improvements unless the opportunity drops into our lap.” Given that just such an opportunity has just fallen into HH’s lap at Paynes Park and they completely ignored it I think that we can safely conclude that Herts Highways have NO intention of trying to improve conditions for cycling in Hitchin EVER. That is, of course despite the strong mandate to do so both locally (2^nd most popular measure in the 1998 Hitchin Transport Plan) and nationally (support rates of 69% to 85% for greater priority for cycling).

 

So, in spite of all the work put in 10 years ago it is clear that nothing is going to happen unless people make it happen. Now is a very good time to make noise, while the Hitchin Transport Plan is being reviewed. Herts Highways would love to sweep the whole issue of cycling provision under the carpet, we need to make sure that they cannot do so.

 

Please take a little time to contact your councillors (district and county) and your MP (Peter Lilley), and let them know your views. Remember, if people don’t then nothing positive will ever happen.

 

We have written back to Mr Smith. Our letter can be found on the Cycling Hitchin file space here or on the Hitchin Transport Plan file space here. If you are not on either of these groups a copy should also be available on the CTC North Herts campaign page shortly.

 

We have called for HCC to stop making excuses, to pull together all of the various stakeholders, to draw up an implementation plan for the cycling network, and to build it. This is what we have said:

Action... b    Hertfordshire need to bring together all of the stakeholders (including CTC) to draw up an IMPLEMENTATION plan for the cycling elements of the 1998 Hitchin Transport Plan and the 1999 North Herts Towns Cycle Network masterplan. The plan needs to identify: b    WHAT elements need to be built (ref 1998 Hitchin Urban Transport Plan and 1999 North Herts Towns Cycle Network Masterplan). b    WHEN each element will be built. b    WHO will design / build it. b    WHERE the funds will come from. b    Every action to have an OWNER and a DEADLINE. b    All “facilities” to be designed in accordance with the Hierarchy of Provision (LTN 02/08 and TAL 91/05) and the geometric requirements of TAL 90/05. b    A realistic level of investment needs to be identified to bring cycling levels in North Herts up to the levels typical in the Netherlands (35% of trips under 5 miles), and closer to home in Cambridge (1 in 4 journeys to work).

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 North Herts and Stevenage.

 

 

Dear all,

 

Several people have rightly expressed concern about the works going on in Paynes Park / Bedford Road and the apparent lack of any thought for cycling. Thanks to the noise made by some of you and the intervention of Simon Young at NHDC we managed to arrange a meeting with the designers at Herts Highways. It was a very positive meeting, the engineers listened and took on board much of what was said. Whether this will survive the many layers of review and auditing that highway projects go through we do not know.

 

We were asked to keep the plans and our discussions confidential. I stated my view that it is always better to be open with people, and that secrecy just generates suspicion. We have however respected HH’s request and kept this to ourselves. However, Roxanne Glaud of Herts Highways has been quoting snippets out of context in correspondence so it is time that we made our views public.

 

For those with access to the “Cycle Hitchin” forum the letter can be found in the group file space at:

 

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Cycle_Hitchin/files/HCC%20270109%20Paynes%20Pk%20Jubilee%20Rd.pdf

 

For everybody else, a copy will shortly be available on the CTC North Herts campaign page. (sorry Tina, could you add this one to your list please).

 

Please sharpen your pencils or keyboards and ask your Councillor why HH seem free to pursue their own agenda instead of following the plan that was developed through public consultation.

 

My email to Roxanne Glaud at Herts Highways, and dialogue between Roxanne and Dave Borner  follows:

 

 

Dear Roxanne,

 

I am sorry but I have to butt in on this discussion. To suggest that the works in Bedford Road are somehow about making it an inviting area for elderly people is disingenuous in the extreme. Since when did groups representing the elderly show any enthusiasm for shared pavement cycleways and high speed gyratories ?

 

This scheme prioritises motor traffic, in direct conflict with HCC’s stated User Hierarchy, for no real gain to car users and at the expense of all non-motorised users.

 

Please do not patronise us by pretending it is about poor little old ladies. For you information, poor little old ladies often rely upon their bicycles to get about because they do not own a car and they have difficulty in walking for any distance. For many people a bicycle is not a toy or a convenient vehicle, it is a vital mobility aid that allows them to overcome what would otherwise be a debilitating disability.

 

If you take the time to read your own policies and the Manual for Streets you will find in them the “Hierarchy of Measures” for both pedestrians and cyclists. The favoured measures are the same – reduce traffic volume, reduce traffic speed. Pavement conversion is a measure of last resort which suits neither user well.

 

The solution for the Bedford Road gyratory is clear and well known – restore two way traffic flow, which removes almost ALL of the traffic from Bedford Road and Paynes Park. It is in the 1998 Transport Plan. Public support was good – nearly twice as many in favour as in opposition. It was in the 1999 Cycle Network Plan as well, and the same issues were coming up yesterday at the Hitchin Transport Plan workshop.

 

Herts Highways have had a decade to think about this and plan for it and design how it should be done. What have you been doing all of that time ? Why when you started an expensive and disruptive road rebuilding scheme did you not already have this pre-planned and thought through ? In short, why were you so pathetically unprepared ? It was all there for you, all you had to do was put the plan into reality.

 

Now I have used language more colourfully than I would otherwise choose to do, and may have caused offence by doing so. I am sorry if this is the case but we were asked by Herts Highways NOT to make the plans, or the results of our discussions, public. We respected that even though we believe that it is counter productive to keep people in the dark. So, I would be very grateful if you returned that respect by NOT QUOTING SMALL PARTS OF OUR COMMENTS OUT OF CONTEXT. If you want a nugget to pass on to members of the public then you would be better off using this one :

 

 

Our comments are attached, in full, so that people can see for themselves what our comments are, rather than having little bits of them passed on by people who have their own agenda. For the record, neither 3.0m lanes nor 3.5m lanes are satisfactory in the environment of the Paynes Park gyratory. Both lie within the “critical” range for the mix of traffic encountered and will make for intimidating cycling. The proposals put forward and discussed are not, by any measure, a solution – only an attempt to get the best out of a bad job. The solution is to restore 2 way flow and you should have planned for it.

Let us see some action behind the retoric. Let us see Herts Highways actually put the needs of pedestrians and cyclists, using the roads a matter of yards from the town centre, at the top of the list of priorities instead of right at the bottom. Leaving people the scraps that are left after all of the usable space has been dedicated to people driving around in circles is NOT in accordance with any guidelines at any level of government.

So, spare us the weasel words please and get on with the task that the people of Hitchin said they wanted you to do over ten years ago.

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 North Herts and Stevenage.

 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Roxanne Glaud [mailto:roxanne.glaud@...]
Sent: 12 February 2009 10:32
To: David Borner
Cc: Alasdair Massie; Derrick Ashley; Richard Thake; Simon Young; Stuart Pile; David Burt
Subject: Re: Danger to Cyclists - Old Park Road, Hitchin

 

David

 

Thank you for your email.

 

Unfortunately we are unable to provide an alternative route for cyclist as

part of this scheme.

 

We have followed the TMA 2004 act which calls for a prioritisation of users

based on location and in this instance we had to address the needs of some

users who have no alternative in their ability to access the town centre.

These users are  the visually impaired and other disable people within the

locale of this area were prioritised.

 

Kind regards

Roxanne

 

 

 

|---------+---------------------------->

|         |           David Borner     |

|         |           <dborner@...|

|         |           m>               |

|         |                            |

|         |           12/02/2009 10:24 |

|         |                            |

|---------+---------------------------->

  >------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

  |                                                                                                                              |

  |       To:       Roxanne Glaud <roxanne.glaud@...>                                                           |

  |       cc:       Derrick Ashley <derrick.ashley@...>, Richard Thake <racthake@...>, Simon Young         |

  |        <simon.young@...>, Stuart Pile <stuart.pile@...>, Alasdair Massie                           |

  |        <a.massie@...>                                                                                           |

  |       Subject:  Re: Danger to Cyclists - Old Park Road, Hitchin                                                              |

  >------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

 

 

 

 

                                                                                                                                                     

 Roxanne,                                                                                                                                             

                                                                                                                                                     

 I think you may be getting a little confused here. In Bedford Road, narrowing the lanes further will allow a greater width for the proposed off-road

 pavement cycle lane. There is no such proposal for Old Park Road.                                                                                    

                                                                                                                                                     

 When I cycle along Old Park Road I find it very unpleasant, but at least there is adequate lane width to allow overtaking. I strongly suspect your  

 proposed 3.25m lane width has much the same problem with "squeezing past" as a 3.5m width. I am not sure that reducing the width to 3.0m as in      

 Bedford Road would be wise as cyclists then become human speed bumps causing the traffic to slow down or change lanes, although it might be         

 marginally better than the "squeezing past" option.                                                                                                  

                                                                                                                                                     

 It is a pity that HH did not consult CTC (or local road users) about Old Park Road before starting the work. Could I ask that you consult CTC as a  

 matter of urgency now? The delays caused to the roadworks by bad weather may give an opportunity to alter this scheme before too much money is      

 spent.                                                                                                                                               

                                                                                                                                                      

 The Hitchin Cycle Network proposed alternatives to the Old Park Road route, which are unfortunately not available yet. Implementing these now might 

 be another alternative.                                                                                                                              

                                                                                                                                                     

 Regards                                                                                                                                              

                                                                                                                                                      

 David Borner                                                                                                                                        

                                                                                                                                                      

 --- On Wed, 11/2/09, Roxanne Glaud <roxanne.glaud@...> wrote:                                                                      

  From: Roxanne Glaud <roxanne.glaud@...>                                                                                           

  Subject: Re: Danger to Cyclists - Old Park Road, Hitchin                                                                                           

  To: "David Borner" <dborner@...>                                                                                                             

  Cc: "Derrick Ashley" <derrick.ashley@...>, "Richard Thake" <racthake@...>, "Simon Young" <simon.young@...>,   

  "Stuart Pile" <stuart.pile@...>, "Huw Hamer" <huw.hamer@...>, "Graham Harris" <graham.harris@...>     

  Date: Wednesday, 11 February, 2009, 5:12 PM                                                                                                         

                                                                                                                                                     

  Mr Bonner                                                                                                                                           

                                                                                                                                                     

  Apologies for the delay in responding.                                                                                                              

                                                                                                                                                     

  A research project produced by TRL demonstrated that where too much width                                                                          

  had been provided at narrowings then their was a                                                                                                   

   tendency for car/lorries                                                                                                                          

  to attempt to push pass a cyclist without passing out of the cycle lane and                                                                         

  therefore the project recommended that critical widths were avoided.                                                                               

                                                                                                                                                      

  Information provided by CTC in their response to the new cycle lane on                                                                             

  Bedford Road have highlighted that traffic lanes of 3.5m are of a critical                                                                         

  with allowing HGVs to push pass a cyclist but without enough space to do                                                                            

  safely.  They go on to say that reducing the lane width would ensure that                                                                          

  HGV's needed to change lane when attempting to overtake a cyclist.   They                                                                           

  highlight that there is no right answer as the resulting width would still                                                                         

  be in a critical range for car/cycle usage.                                                                                                        

                                                                                                                                                      

  HCC has aimed to implement schemes that will incorporate the guidance set                                                                          

  in the Traffic Management Act (TMA 2004) route user hierarchy. In a town                                                                            

  centre environment a road user hierarchy might give particular attention to                                                                        

  the accessibility needs of pedestrians                                                                                                              

   and people with disabilities,                                                                                                                     

  including around temporary works. So the resulting hierarchy might be:                                                                             

            • Visually impaired and other disabled people                                                                                             

            • Pedestrians                                                                                                                            

            • Cyclists                                                                                                                                

            • Buses and Public Transport (including taxis and private hire                                                                           

      vehicles)                                                                                                                                       

            • Freight (including loading facilities)                                                                                                  

            • Private cars and motorcycles                                                                                                           

            • On street parking                                                                                                                      

                                                                                                                                                      

  As highlighted earlier in the correspondence we have prioritised                                                                                   

  improvements for pedestrian and the elderly to implement the Old Park Road                                                                         

  crossing and due to the space restrictions on Old Park Road this space has                                                                         

  had to be taken from other road users. Additionally, the proposal to reduce                                                                        

  the width of the carriageway was reviewed by an independent safety Audit                                                                            

  Team and they were satisfied that safety would not be jeopardised. It was                                                                          

  felt that the wider footways would be particularly                                                                                                  

   appreciated by                                                                                                                                    

  pedestrians especially those with impaired mobility from the Cheshire Home.                                                                        

  As previously mentioned, a Safety Audit 3 will be undertaken upon scheme                                                                            

  completion and any issues raised will be remedied.                                                                                                 

                                                                                                                                                      

                                                                                                                                                     

  Kind regards                                                                                                                                        

  Roxanne Glaud                                                                                                                                       

  Strategy Development Manager -                                                                                                                     

  Northern Hertfordshire                                                                                                                              

  Transport, Programme and Standards Unit                                                                                                            

  Hertfordshire Highways                                                                                                                              

  01707 356580                                                                                                                                       

  www.hertsdirect.org.uk                                                                                                                             

                                                                                                                                                      

                                                                                                                                                     

                                                                                                                                                      

  |---------+---------------------------->                                                                                                           

  |         |           David Borner     |                                                                                                           

  |         |           <dborner@...|                                                                                                           

  |         |           m>               |                                                                                                            

  |         |                            |                                                                                                           

  |         |           09/02/2009 14:56 |                                                                                                            

  |         |                            |                                                                                                           

  |---------+---------------------------->                                                                                                           

                                                                                                                                                      

  >------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|                   

    |                                                                                                                                                 

                                                                                                                                                     

                                                   |                                                                                                 

    |       To:       Roxanne Glaud <roxanne.glaud@...>                                                                              

                                                         |                                                                                           

    |       cc:       Derrick Ashley <derrick.ashley@...>,                                                                                 

  Richard Thake <racthake@...>, Stuart Pile         |                                                                                     

    |        <stuart.pile@...>, Simon Young                                                                                               

  <simon.young@...>                                                                                                                    

   |                                                                                                                                                 

    |       Subject:  Re: Danger to Cyclists - Old Park Road, Hitchin                                                                                 

                                                   |                                                                                                 

                                                                                                                                                      

  >------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|                   

                                                                                                                                                      

                                                                                                                                                      

                                                                                                                                                     

                                                                                                                                                      

                                                                                                                                                     

                                                                                                                                                      

                                                                                                                                                      

   Roxanne,                                                                                                                                          

                                                                                                                                                     

                                                                                                                                                      

                                                                                                                                                     

   If Old Park Road is to be narrowed to 6.5m, that means 3.25m per lane. An                                                                         

  average HGV width is 2.5m, leaving 0.75m free. Cyclists are recommended to                                                                         

   ride 1m from the kerb - so I hope you can begin to see the problem.                                                                               

                                                                                                                                                      

                                                                                                                                                     

                                                                                                                                                      

   I have included an article below on this issue, from which you can see that a                                                                     

  lane width of 4.25 or 4.5m is more appropriate. I                                                                                                  

   am not sure what the                                                                                                                               

   maximum achievable lane width would be in Old Park Road, but doubt if even                                                                        

  that would really be enough. Clearly, unnecessary narrowing is not very                                                                             

   sensible.                                                                                                                                         

                                                                                                                                                      

                                                                                                                                                      

                                                                                                                                                     

   If it is unavoidable to narrow Old Park Road because of pedestrian                                                                                 

  considerations then some other safe alternative for cyclists needs to be                                                                           

                                                                                                                                                      

   provided.                                                                                                                                         

                                                                                                                                                      

                                                                                                                                                      

                                                                                                                                                     

                                                                                                                                                      

   There seems to be a deep-seated cultural problem at Hertfordshire Highways                                                                        

  with regards to cyclists' safety which I simply fail to understand.                                                                                

                                                                                                                                                     

                                                                                                                                                      

   Regards                                                                                                                                           

                                                                                                                                                      

                                                                                                                                                     

                                                                                                                                                      

   David Borner                                                                                                                                       

                                                                                                                                                     

                                                                                                                                                      

                                                                                                                                                     

                                                                                                                                                      

                                                                                                                                                      

                                                                                                                                                     

                                                                                                                                                      

                                                                                                                                                     

                                                                                                                                                      

                                                                                                                                                      

                                                                                                                                                     

                                                                                                                                                      

                                                                                                                                                     

                                                                                                                                                      

                                                                                                                                                     

                                                                                                                                                      

                                                                                                                                                      

                                                                                                                                                     

                                                                                                                                                      

   Home                                                                                                                                              

                                                                                                                                                      

                                                                                                                                                      

                                                                                                                                                     

                                                                                                                                                     

                                                                                                                                                      

         Ealing Cycling Campaign                                                                                                                     

                                                                                                                                                      

         West London Tram                                                                                                                            

                                                                                                                                                      

                                                                                                                                                      

                                                                                                                                                     

             21 September 2004                                                                                                                        

                                                                                                                                                     

                                                                                                                                                      

                                                                                                                                                      

                                                                                                                                                     

                                                                                                                                                      

                                                                                                                                                     

                                                                                                                                                      

                                                                                                                                                      

                                                                                                                                                     

                                                                                                                                                      

   A. Issues affecting cyclists                                                                                                                      

                                                                                                                                                      

                                                                                                                                                     

                                                                                                                                                      

                                                                                                                                                      

                                                                                                                                                     

                                                                                                                                                      

****Disclaimer****

The information in this message should be regarded as confidential and is intended for the addressee only unless explicitly stated.  If you have received this message in error it must be deleted and the sender notified.  The views expressed in this message are personal and not necessarily those of Hertfordshire County Council unless explicitly stated. Please be aware that emails sent to or received from Hertfordshire County Council may be intercepted and read by the council.  Interception will only occur to ensure compliance with council policies or procedures or regulatory obligations, to prevent or deter crime, or for the purposes of essential maintenance or support of the email system.

 

Cyclists Touring Club

Right to Ride Network

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

 

Dear all,

 

 

Cyclists Touring Club

Right to Ride Network

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

Dear Councillor,

As we look forward to consultation for the 2009 Hitchin Transport Plan we thought that you would be interested in our views and concerns.

Our first concern is that we put a lot of time and effort into a similar exercise 10 years ago but what became of it ? Building a comprehensive cycle network for the town was the second most popular proposal and yet NOTHING has been done to make it a reality in the intervening decade.

Will the time that we devote to this round of consultation (time which we would much rather devote to feeding our children) be any better spent ?

We would like to see this plan focus on making Hitchin a really great place to live and work. To do that means focusing on quality of life issues, health, environment, tranquillity and community. It means focusing on PEOPLE, not on moving vehicles from one side of the county to another.

A transport system that focuses on vehicles is outward looking. It encourages development to gravitate to the periphery of the town leaving that dead centre that blights many towns. It encourages people to work and shop in a different town to the one where they live, because driving away from a town is always easier than driving into its centre.

Hitchin will never compete with Stevenage or Milton Keynes for car parks and road space, so we must be smarter. We must encourage people to stay in their home town by making it quicker, easier, cheaper and more pleasant to go into town on foot or by bike than it can ever be to drive to a neighbouring town.

That is what the 1998 Plan said, and that is what we should have spent the last ten years doing. It is about time that we stopped making excuses for our complacency and started making a genuine difference.

We can do it. It will take time, there will be nay sayers and opposition, but if countries like Denmark and the Netherlands can do it, and maintain some of the highest standards of living in the world, then so can we.

We depend on you to make that future a reality for our children.

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.

 

 

To everybody who clicked on the “Revolution” newsletter and found that it didn’t work, sorry. Not sure why that happened.

 

If you are receiving this for the second time, I am doubly sorry, I added to my own incompetence by mistyping the address.

 

It should work now. Try clicking here

 

If that doesn’t work go to http://www.northhertsctc.org.uk/ , click on the campaigns tab, and you will see the link in the top right hand corner.

 

 

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 North Herts and Stevenage.