Category: Uncategorized

Cycling Provision at New Developments

Posted on by Web Editor

New developments usually present an opportunity to provide better cycling facilities within the site or contribute funding towards improvements for cycling provision in their vicinity. Since the introduction of LTN 1/20 there is now government issued guidance for minimum standards to be adhered to in new cycling infrastructure. Therefore, developers have no excuse not to comply.

Unfortunately, this is not always the case as they are not always held to account.

For example, in the new housing development next to the council offices, billed as a ‘gateway to the town centre’, there is no cycling access through the site. Cyclists are directed to dismount and walk their bicycle to/from the train station, a major transport hub and trip generator for the area, or go the long way round via Cheap Street. The planning permission supposedly secured a walking and cycling path through the development, but this has not come to be realised.

Another example of a recent development falling short is the poor cycle parking provision at the former Sterling Cables site, on Kings Road. Anyone visiting the site by bicycle is obliged to use the appalling ‘wheel-grabber’ style cycle racks, which offer no security for locking a bicycle other than through the front wheel.

LTN1/20 explains why these are not fit for purpose:

“Concrete ‘slots’ or metal hoops that support only the front wheel and do not enable the frame to be secured should not be used for public cycle parking. Many cycles are fitted with quick release wheels, and this type of support increases the risk of theft.” (LTN1/20 11.4.2 pg.134)

Not only this, but the wheel-grabber racks are mounted high up on the walls so that users have to up-end their bike to secure the front wheel, which is difficult for some bicycle users who have heavier bikes, baskets, wider tyres or mudguards.

Spokes will be writing to West Berkshire Council’s Planning Department to push for these issues to be addressed.

Spokes’ Strategy Workshop

Posted on by Web Editor

The Spokes strategic workshop held on Saturday 28th October at Newbury Canoe Club (thanks Ed) was well attended by most of the committee as well as non-committee members. That allowed for a wider set of thoughts, views and ideas, making the workshop all that more valuable. A big thank you to all the attendees and I hope you all thought your time was well used.

Since Spokes formed in 2002, there have been various internal changes to the voluntary group. Spokes has grown to almost 170 members, but as various committee members have come and gone, capacity to be able to contribute has ebbed and flowed. There have also been changes outside of Spokes – for example changes to other local cycling related organisations and overlaps with what WBS does.

Hence it was time for a re-group and to look how we can focus our mission which could be crudely put as “getting more bums on bikes” by playing to our unique strengths and looking to partner where we need help to achieve our objectives. In fact, we even questioned our official mission statement but found it to still fit our general ethos, albeit with a few minor suggestions for improvement.

The day began with a general introduction followed by a review of our current status, the mission, what our successes have been over the years and which of those are recent, a summary of what other local groups do, and some thoughts of successes of other similar groups.

Next, we split into groups and then came together to perform a SWOT analysis, so looking at our Strengths and Weaknesses, and the Opportunities and Threats that may help or hinder Spokes in fulfilling its mission.

After the coffee break, we then looked at what activities we should continue to do, ones that we needed to start (or re-start) and any that we should actually stop doing.

Most of the things we do today, we decided to continue with, such as:

  • Cycle counts (and thanks to all those that help with these)
  • Social Bike Rides (but with additional support for those new to cycling, e.g. ‘Couch to 50k’)
  • Attendance at the Cycle Forum (one of the reasons WBS was formed)
  • Campaigning on cycling issues
  • Responding to consultations
  • Progression of the Hermitage to Hamsptead Norreys Cycle Route towards Newbury

And some of the things we need to start (re-start or get much better at):

  • Communications and publicity
  • Commenting on major planning applications
  • Developing a Cycling Charter (taking inspiration from Winchester)
  • Address demographic issues (we are pretty much the “grey” haired folks at the workshop)
  • Assist with clearing overgrown vegetation onto cycle routes

In terms of things we should stop doing, the consensus was that it should be more a pause. Except for the cycle counts, we will tend to focus on the western part of West Berkshire. However, once we have started what we need to, and hopefully have a few more active members, we will cover West Berkshire more fully.

If anything piques your interest, or you would like to help with something, then please reach out to us at: info@westberkshirespokes.org, or pop along to our monthly meeting, on the first Wednesday of each month (please see the calendar).

Full minutes of the workshop can be found here.

Annual General Meeting 2023

Posted on by Secretary

In accordance with our constitution, the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of West Berkshire Spokes will take place at 3pm on Saturday 10 June 2021 at the Waterside Centre, Waldegrave Place, Northbrook St, Newbury RG14 1DS.

All SPOKES members are very welcome to attend the AGM. There will be refreshments for members to buy if they wish courtesy of Colline’s Kitchen.  

Below are links to the AGM papers:

If you have any items that you wish to add to the agenda, then please get in touch by emailing info@westberkshirespokes.org by midnight on Friday 2 June. The final agenda will be provided at the AGM itself.

All committee posts are up for re-election and there are several vacancies due to people stepping down. If you have any nominations for any of the posts, then please notify the Committee by emailing info@westberkshirespokes.org by midnight on Friday 2 June.

If anyone wants an informal chat in advance of the AGM, then feel free to get in touch with any of the committee. E-mail contacts can be found on our website at: https://www.westberkshirespokes.org/about-us/committee/

Beginner Ladies’ Rides

Posted on by Secretary

Starting Saturday 18 April for six weeks, we are arranging a series of led bike rides designed to give beginners the skills and confidence to ride on their own or in a group on today’s roads. 

The first session will be off-road, starting at 10am from the Control Tower at Greenham Common.  Sessions are free – you just need your bike, helmet and a drink. 

Signing up is essential, as numbers are limited – email caroline.lane3@yahoo.co.uk for more information.

Hermitage – Hampstead Norreys Update

Posted on by Secretary

One of our long-standing aspirations has been to reopen the former railway line between Newbury and Didcot as a cycle route. It was back in 2005 that we first started our original feasibility study where we walked the route to see if it would be feasible and started putting our plans in place.

The section between Hermitage and Hampstead Norreys is the easiest section to convert, since the former railway line is still largely in tact and hasn’t been built on, except where the M4 motorway cuts through it.

Over the last few years, we have engaged with a wide range of stakeholders, including West Berkshire Council, local landowners and parish councillors, and we have secured widespread support for the project.

Working with West Berkshire Council, we managed to attract funding from Highways England, which was actively looking for projects to reduce the severance effect of its motorway network and improve access for walkers, cyclists and equestrians. This scheme ticked all of their boxes and so they offered for their contractor Kier to undertake the works.

It has been a long, slow process to secure all the relevant landowner permissions, inspect bridges, carry out ecology surveys and undertake clearance work, but we are delighted that construction work is well-underway.

The aim is to achieve a 2.5m wide path wherever possible, using a crushed aggregate surface with timber edging and underlain with an impermeable membrane to prevent weeds from growing through the surface. The path itself respects its rural setting, both in terms of its materials and its alignment, meandering through the trees to create a pleasing, informal look.

The path is forced to deviate away from the disused railway line to pass under the M4 motorway. Here, it drops down to a widened shared use footway / cycleway alongside the B4009 for a short distance before rejoining the railway line on the other side.The section between the motorway and Hermitage is already complete and gives a flavour of how the rest of the route will look and feel.

The path is not yet open and is still very much a live construction site with heavy machinery in operation, but we are hopeful that the ribbon-cutting ceremony will be just a few short weeks away. Special thanks go to Alan Langley and Josh Kerry who have been instrumental in getting all the relevant parties on board and securing the funding to help make this pipe dream a reality.

Once complete, we will seek to maintain the momentum and extend the route towards Newbury. Although this section will be more challenging, due to the amount of development that has taken place on and around the former rail line, we have already undertaken the initial feasibility work and are confident that route can be achieved, so watch this space!