READING CYCLE Reading CAMPAIGN WORKING FOR A CYCLE FRIENDLY READING uk Cyclewww.readingcyclecampaign.org.Reading Summer 2011 No 113 Town Centre Changes Audited Attempting a right turn into Contents Queen Victoria Street – some wizardry may be required 1 Town Centre Changes 8 Annual Bike Census 2011 Audited Bird Racing The results of the Town Centre Audit, undertaken by the Reading 2 Campaign News 9 The Reading Cycle Forum Cycle Campaign, Reading CTC and 4 Other Cycling News 10 Contact Us Sustrans, are outlined in Campaign 6 Chairman’s Letter Campaign Diary News on page 2. CycleReading Summer 2011 1 Campaign News travelling along Garrard Street due to meeting is not scheduled until late confusion among road users. September. Workshops proposed by 3) Station Approach and Station Hill the council on specific issues, such as the difficulty in crossing Reading The unsigned and interim facilities for Bridge, were supposed to take place Campaign News cyclists are confusing and inadequate Reading Borough in May but never materialised. Minor and place cyclists in conflict with infrastructure improvements emanating Council (RBC) other road users and pedestrians. In from the cycle strategy that were due particular the marked facilities lead Town Centre Changes are for completion in 2009/10 languish in cyclists into the door opening zone of the ‘to do’ list. Audited taxis at the rank outside the station. Members of Reading Cycle Campaign, 4) Forbury Road / Blagrave Street In fact the most significant cycle Reading CTC and Sustrans undertook a related action undertaken in 2011 We have seen and had reported cycle audit of the new town centre seems to be the erection of ‘No repeated incidences of cyclists turning layout in May after concerns were Cycling’ signs along the Thames right who come into conflict with west- raised over the certain junctions. Our towpath. bound vehicles that fail to give way. written report to the Council listed We can speculate that the reasons for the following concerns: The provision for cyclists appears to be below other road users in the this lack of direction or action may be 1) Friar Street / Station Road / hierarchy, and leads to increasing the the change in local government in May Queen Victoria Street vulnerability of cyclists in this area. coupled with cuts in local government This was felt to be dangerous as We request that you consider our spending. But actions to make Reading westbound cyclists on Friar Street views as part of the Stage 3 Safety more cycle friendly do not require cannot turn into Queen Victoria Street Audit process. years of planning or huge amounts of safely, and it is not clear on leaving expenditure; often it may be a case of Queen Victoria Street that a right turn Reading Council’s Cycling painting some lines on the road or into Friar Sstreet is not permitted, as undertaking a cycle audit at the the signs are not visible to users here. Strategy - Have the wheels design stage of proposed highway 2) Station Road / Garrard Street fallen off? schemes. The junction is extremely confusing as At the time of writing this newsletter There are Councillors and transport there are inadequate signs and no there is a definite feeling that cycling officers who genuinely want to take provision for cyclists. Cyclists are at fell off the Council’s agenda in 2011. steps to improve facilities for cyclists risk from taxis, taxi doors opening, The Cycle Liaison Group, which is in Reading - see the article in this collision with a poorly sited bollard, supposed to meet every 3 months, last newsletter on the Council’s proposal and conflict with road users while met in early March and the next to involve cycling groups in highway The TRADITIONAL RESTORATION COMPANY Ltd Specialists in Restoration of Fine Antique Furniture Audrey Thompson The Coach House Dorney Court Dorney Windsor Berkshire SL4 6QP Tel: 01628 660708 (office) 0118 986 2444 (home) 2 CycleReading Summer 2011 Campaign News design. The question is whether these first time, tangible input into what a unnecessary bureaucracy and at the individuals can hold sway over the cycle lane should be. time the relevant Lead Councillors general direction of transport policy agreed. “Obviously there are professionals and spending. within the Council, there are cycling This year’s changes to the town centre Since its inception the Cycle Liaison guidelines from central government layout suffered because it seems that Campaign News Group has been chaired by the Lead and other legal implications, but I no-one looked at junction layout from Councillor for Transport. After the believe that the correct advice our a cyclist’s point of view. We will wait change of Reading’s local government cycling groups will help create a and see how the new policy adopted in May, the reappointed Lead cycling infrastructure we can be proud by our elected representatives will Councillor for Transport, Tony Page, of.” translate into positive actions in the indicated that he would not be design of future highway schemes. chairing the Cycle Liaison Group and The Council unanimously supported that the new Chair would be the Lead Cllr Harris’s proposal and resolved to Councillor for Environment Paul “Work with local cycling groups to No Cycling along Thames Gittings. Paul is a keen cyclist and we create a consistent cycling design best Path practice when completing any new wish him a successful tenure. RBC has recently erected ‘No Cycling’ road developments and significant signs along the Thames Towpath road layout changes”. Calls to Consider Cycling In between Reading Bridge and Highway Design One of the main aims of the Reading Caversham Bridge, which understand- Cycle Campaign is to persuade the ably has caused consternation At the Council meeting of 29 March local Council to adequately cater for amongst the many cyclists who use this year Councillor Tim Harris cyclists at the design stage of all this route. RBC explained the issue as criticised the state of the council's highway schemes. Once highway follows: cycle lanes and proposed asking works are completed it is next to The towpath between Caversham cyclists to design them in future. impossible to retrospectively get Bridge and Reading Bridge is on Councillor Harris is a member of the design faults rectified or go back and private land and is legally designated Cycle Liaison Group and suggested capture missed opportunities. In the as a footpath in the Public Rights of working with local cycle groups to recent past, Reading Cycle Campaign Way network, with no permitted rights make sure best practice in cycle lane tried to persuade the Council to for cyclists, although it is understood design was included in new road follow DfT guidance and undertake a that many cyclists do use the path and developments and significant road formal cycle audit of all significant there is little enforcement. layout changes. He told Reading highway schemes whilst they were at Borough Council chamber: “Cycling the design stage. The Council’s As a Public Right of Way, the Council groups in Reading will have, for the transport officers felt this was has the right to improve the path’s Want to advertise orld shop w • Pottery • in this newsletter? • Jewellery & beads • • Unusual gifts & ornaments • For 1/6 page display advert • Didgeridoos, drums & other instruments • • Environmentally friendly & organic products • like this one (87.5mm x 80mm): •World music, CDs & cassettes • • Books & teaching resources • 3 RCC members £6 5 • Baygen clockwork radios • g - 3 i n g 39 Lo • Funiture • a di Non-members £12 o nd on Stre e t, R e a n Stre e t, Bikes ’n’ Bits (text only) & refresh yourself at the Global Café • fairtrade teas & coffees • organic wines & beers • free to RCC members • selection of international beers • tasty food • Open Monday–Saturday 9.30am–5.30pm Contact the Editor, Tobias Gibbon, Tel: 0118 958 6692 Fax: 0118 959 4357 [email protected] Email: [email protected] Website: www.risc.org.uk www.readingcyclecampaign.org.uk 3 Campaign News Other Cycling News surface, and private sector funding public figures not only within the became available to pave it this Repairs for the Historic sport but also those from the worlds summer. However, local landowners Herne Hill Velodrome of politics and entertainment living have objected to cyclists using the nearby. British Cycling has confirmed that path and raised concerns that paving work is now under way to resurface The work has been financed by money would increase the speed of cyclists provided by British Cycling under its Campaign News the track at the historic Herne Hill along the path. The compromise Velodrome, the last surviving venue Whole Sport Plan, together with a between Councillors and the local from the London 1948 Olympic Games; bequest from the estate of Leonard landowners was that ‘No Cycling’ signs this is the first major work at the Lyes, who died in July 2009 and was a would be installed in exchange for facility since a 15-year lease was member of the De Laune Cycling Club, enabling the surfacing of the path signed between the sport’s governing regularly officiating at Herne Hill. without obstruction or objection. body and the site’s landlords, The Mr Lyes had requested that his A couple of years ago Reading Cycle Dulwich Estate. bequest be used ‘in the pursuit of Campaign presented evidence to the The future of the track had been track cycling’, and Ian Drake, Chief Council that the path had been used thrown into doubt after The Dulwich Executive of British Cycling, said he by cyclists for over 20 years and Estate revealed that it planned to believed he would have approved of therefore could be legally designated redevelop the site, where generations how the money was being spent.