Hampshire County Council has launched a Survey to determine what issues are 'barriers' to walking and cycling in local areas.
The kind of 'barriers' they are seeking that put people off from walking or cycling include:
- Locations for new cycle parking, or places where existing cycle parking is not meeting demand;
- Staggered or chicane barriers;
- Bollards placed too closely together.
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| Well-used cycle parking removed by Whitchurch Town Council |
WHITCHURCH has a number of the above 'barriers to cycling' and in particular has suffered from removal of cycle parking and a reluctance to deal with staggered railings on cycle routes.
In the town centre, because of parking removal by the local councilpartly to allow motor vehicles on to the pavement (!!!) cycles are again regularly leant against shopfronts causing annoyance to shopkeepers.
This can also make the town unattractive to visit and creates a safety hazard for pedestrians and the mobility impaired.
The town also suffers from excessive congestion, narrow streets and pavements, HGVs and speeding traffic. This is likely to worsen with planned expansion of housing areas.
There are also very few off-road routes with only one bridleway leaving the town that heads northwards.
As a small rural town in the Test valley that attracts a considerable number of cyclists and walkers, facilities need much improvement.
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| Whitchurch has several of these |
Other examples sought by the Survey are:
- End of route/cyclists rejoin carriageway signs (these are often used interchangeably) and no cycling signs. There are no current plans to remove these, but knowing where they are will help plan better in the future – for example, showing people cycling and where to go when a route ends;
- Crossings that are difficult to use because they don’t have dropped kerbs and tactile paving;
- Dropped kerbs which are not flush with the road; these can make travel difficult for wheelchair users;
- Items such as guard railing, lampposts and signposts which make the pavement too narrow.
The Survey runs until 11:59pm on Sunday 22nd December
The SURVEY can be accessed HERE:
https://www.hants.gov.uk/barriers-walking-cycling
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Staggered railings on Council land restrict use
for users of many types of cycles and mobility vehicles.
This is discriminatory and goes against national and local policies.
for users of many types of cycles and mobility vehicles.
This is discriminatory and goes against national and local policies.
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Below
Cycle parking was removed in the town and cycles are now parked against windows, causing difficulties for cyclists, pedestrians and those with mobility issues:
Cycle parking was removed in the town and cycles are now parked against windows, causing difficulties for cyclists, pedestrians and those with mobility issues:
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A suggestion for a combined planting and parking installation was made to the Town Council.
SEE:
SEE:
https://cyclewhitchurch.blogspot.com/2024/08/use-of-community-infrastructure-levy.html
A response has not yet been received.
See below, as used in many other heritage locations:
A response has not yet been received.
See below, as used in many other heritage locations:
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