Major cycleway scheme to start – a final link in the chain for St Albans (NCN Route 6/61)

Hertfordshire County Council News Release: 21/01/2009 PR 8084
Major cycleway scheme to start – a final link in the chain for St Albans

A major project will get underway next week (January 26) to complete the National Cycle Network in St Albans by linking it up with existing routes to the north, south and east of the city centre.

When the 4.4 mile (7.1km) connecting route is finished, it will enable local residents to cycle to the local railway stations and the city centre itself – or to the surrounding countryside for leisure activities. This is in line with the county and district councils’ strategies to encourage cycling as a sustainable means of transport.

The route, which will mainly make use of signed sections on existing roads, has been finalised following extensive consultation work and discussion with the St Albans Cycle Forum. It will carry on from the existing section on Watford Road, going northwards through St Julians, the city centre, Townsend and New Greens to Harpenden Road. It will also link to the Alban Way cycle track, which provides an off-road link to Hatfield.

Work will need to be done at the following locations to improve safety for cyclists using the route:

• Watford Road junction with Robert Avenue
• Watling Street junction with Vesta Avenue
• Path between Tavistock Avenue and Abbots Avenue West
• Berners Drive junction with Abbots Avenue West
• Path between Cottonmill Lane and Berners Drive
• Keyfield Terrace
• Path across Bernards Heath between Townsend Drive and Harpenden Road
• Path between Batchwood Drive and Therfield Road
• Path between New Greens Avenue and Harpenden Road.

Most of this work is due to start on January 26 and to be completed by the end of March, apart from improvement work on the existing path through Bernards Heath (which is owned by the Althorp Estate). This is due to take place in March, subject to a legal agreement with the landowner.

Hertfordshire Highways have worked in partnership with St Albans City and District Council and Groundwork Hertfordshire to design a route that will be in keeping with the environment of the Heath while providing better access for users.

Funding for the work is being met from the county council’s Local Transport Plan, plus a landfill tax grant obtained by Groundwork Hertfordshire which is being used to part-fund the work on Bernards Heath.

“We’ve long been committed to the provision of safe, signed, convenient cycle routes that enable people to travel in and between our town centres quickly and easily just by hopping on a bike, so we’re delighted to see work getting underway with this major partnership scheme for St Albans,” said Stuart Pile, Executive Member for Highways Transport and Rural Affairs.

“As well as the environmental benefits of cycling, there are also proven health benefits, especially if you do it regularly. We anticipate that the work will be completed by the spring – when hopefully people will be keen to try leaving the car at home and go by bike.”

Residents living near the project area have received letters detailing the scheme and information boards have been erected at each site.

Localised traffic management is required in various locations with traffic signals to be used during restricted working hours on Watford Road, Watling Street, London Road and Harpenden Road.

For more detailed information visit
http://www.hertsdirect.org/envroads/roadstrans/transplan/ltp/ltp2/newcyclestrat/

Thanks to John Metcalf for passing this release to us.


STACC have been involved in the consultation for this route for a number of years. The final choice of route and some details of design were not those preferred by STACC. Some aspects of our preference would have been safer, more practical and cheaper.
Changes in Herts Highways personnel during the process were not helpful.
Despite all that, we look forward to speedy completion - after which you can add your own comments here.

Verulamium Park Lottery Funding Bid - ACT to SUPPORT CYCLING

Read about Verulamium Park & its future at http://www.verpark.stalbans.gov.uk/

Part of the funding bid process is public consultation. Deadline 15th October.

You should give your views on-line at http://www.smart-survey.co.uk/v.asp?i=2798todqy
It is important to give a little write-up of the reasons you support cycling, in the text box at section 8 of the survey form.
(See below for STACC's view from which you can pick & mix.)

You can also vote to indicate your preference for cycling at...
http://www.verpark.stalbans.gov.uk/polls/shopping_list
The rate of voting is low (at the time of writing 65 votes cast in all categories)
Leading categories are :-
"More of the buried Roman remains" 49% of the vote
"The opportunity to cycle" 34% of the vote
so it would not take much to put cycling into the lead.

STACC's view in support of cycling in the park:-
Cycling Though Verulamium Park (E/W & N/S Pathways)

Background

The question of cycling through the Park has now been debated for some years.

• 7 December 2000 Community Services Committee was told of the public consultation in which 73% of respondents had favoured cycling through the Park.
• 28 February 2001 Council refused funding for cycle route through Park – the proposed scheme was expensive and over engineered.
• 18 January 2005 Council Overview and Scrutiny Committee agreed that work should be done to draw up further proposals for cycling through the Park.

Why is Cycling through the Park necessary?
School children, commuters, shoppers and tourists, as well as motorists would benefit if cycling were permitted through the Park.

• The Park is a quiet and beautiful place, and any scheme should be simple and both sympathetically and economically engineered. Cycling would only be permitted on the N/S and E/W pathways and not at all around the lakeside. (The 2 proposed routes are from The Fighting Cocks to King Harry Lane and from Holywell Hill to St Michael’s carpark).
• There are seven schools on the boundaries of the Park. Cycling through the Park would give children safety and independence, and would improve fitness and reduce obesity. One headmaster wrote, “We remain firmly convinced that cycling should be permitted through the Park.” The Government requires Local Authorities to provide Safer Routes to Schools and opening these pathways to cyclists would considerably advance this target as well as easing school-run congestion. Alternative routes such as St Stephen’s Hill, Holywell Hill and Bluehouse Hill are congested and hazardous for cyclists, especially children.
• The Park provides a safe commuting, shopping and leisure route from the Verulam estate and South St Albans to the centre of the city, Westminster Lodge and the Abbey Station and gives easy access to the Alban Way for commuters to and from Hatfield and Welwyn. It is also a destination in its own right - to meet friends, visit the museum, the café etc.

• Cyclists co-exist with pedestrians in many rural parks in the UK.
• Cycling is positively encouraged in London’s Royal Parks. At least five Royal Parks provide paths shared by pedestrians. (Initial fears proved groundless and plans to permit cycling in Kensington Gardens were made permanent after a successful trial period of one year.)
• STACC strongly requests a trial period of 1 year, as proposed and agreed by the Community Services Committee in Dec 2000.

Liz Rutherford and STACC committee March 2006

Higway code- progress!

It appears common sense is beginning to prevail. It's also fairly clear that the actions of individuals writing to MPs and signing online petitions helped the CTC a great deal. There's news from the CTC here and, inevitably, another petition here which should help the CTC show the wide grass-roots support for their campaigning position.

From BikeForAll.com: Following a high-profile campaign by CTC, the Government has agreed to amend the draft Highway Code wording to improve cyclists’ safety and to encourage drivers to take more care around vulnerable road users. 11,000 people contacted their MPs, 20,000 signed an online petition and a cross-party coalition in both Houses of Parliament defended cyclists' right to cycle on the road.

CTC campaigner, Richard George, said "We're delighted that the Minister has decided to make these changes to the Highway Code; it now makes clear that cyclists have every right to be on the road. Following some intensive negotiations the Department for Transport has listened to cyclists, and this new version is a definite improvement."

From The Daily Mail:

Rule 61, stated: "Use cycle routes and cycle facilities such as advanced stop lines, cycle boxes and toucan crossings wherever possible, as they can make your journey safer."

It is now planned that it will read: "Cycle Facilities. Use cycle routes, advanced stop lines, cycle boxes and toucan crossings unless at the time it is unsafe to do so. Use of these facilities is not compulsory and will depend on your experience and skills, but they can make your journey safer."

Rule 63, said: "(cycle lanes) are marked with a white line (which may be broken). Keep within the lane wherever possible."

The proposed revision now reads: "Cycle Lanes. These are marked by a white line (which may be broken) along the carriageway. When using a cycle lane, keep within the lane when practicable. When leaving a cycle lane check before pulling out that it is safe to do so and signal your intention clearly to other road users. Use of these facilities is not compulsory and will depend on your experience and skills, but they can make your journey safer."

London Road Cycle Path

What is it?
London Road Cycle Route will run off-road from Grosvenor Road to St Vincent Drive, making use of the wide footway (which is currently only used for car parking).
It will continue on-road on (quiet) Admiral's Walk to connect with the existing cycle path which continues to London Colney.
The design provides safe crossing places at junctions.
It will be a very significant addition to our modest cycling infrastructure as it will provide a continuous route from London Colney and London Road
estates to a very useful junction from which journeys can continue off-road along Alban Way or on quieter roads (Old London Road, Approach Road/Riverside Road) and the 30 mph section of London Road into town.
It avoids the need to use the 40mph(+++) section with central refuges which are too daunting for inexperienced cyclists.
Importantly it will make possible many safe cycle journeys to schools and to the City Station.

When?
According to the Highways Partnership meeting of October 24th 2006, work would start about January 2007. - Not achieved.
So Wheeeen???
According to St Albans Cycling Strategy meeting on 16th April 2007, the work would most definitely start that very week. - Not achieved.
So Whe.e.e.e.e.e.nnnn ?????
According to STACC member Ollie's careful scrutiny, looking (on 2nd May 2007) for the smallest indication that something has started......
"There's no sign of any activity on this - not even a road cone! I thought Herts Highways were supposed to start as soon as the works in the High Street were finished. "
But see comments .......