NCN4 Gets Tar & Chip Surface

Posted on by Secretary

It’s been about a year since the section of the Kennet and Avon Canal towpath between Hambridge Road and the A339 was surfaced. The Canal and River Trust (C&RT) consulted when this was first proposed, and the feedback was that people wanted the path to have a surface dressing to soften its appearance and make it appear less urban.

The C&RT have finally got round to finishing the job, and the finished result looks pretty good. However, it now means that there is a layer of loose stones on the surface, which is far from ideal for cyclists. The stones are laid on a thin screed of bitumen and are initially rolled in, but they then need to be compacted by people walking and cycling along the path, which is a process that takes place over several months.

This means that cyclists will needs to take extra care when using this section of towpath, since sudden braking or turning manoeuvres could result in skidding. The transition to and from the bridges now represent a particular hazard. This is a common maintenance technique for roads and schemes are usually accompanied by signs advising road users to slow down due to the presence of loose chippings. We will be asking for signs to be put up to advise cyclists of the issue and encourage them to slow down (or potentially dismount at critical locations) while the stones bed in.

World Car Free Day (22 September)

Posted on by Secretary
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West Berkshire Spokes is supporting World Car Free Day on 22 September by encouraging local residents to swap their car journeys for more sustainable alternatives such as cycling, walking and public transport.

Given the climate emergency that we are facing, it is vital that we all play our part in reducing our carbon footprint and working towards becoming carbon neutral. Transport is currently the largest contributor to UK greenhouse gas emissions, with road transport alone accounting for almost a quarter of our total emissions.

We know it’s not easy making changes, so we suggest starting with just one journey and taking it from there. Amazingly, 68% of all the journeys we make are under 5 miles, so whether it is going to the shops, visiting friends, doing the school run or the dreaded commute, most of us can find at least one journey where we could leave the car at home and travel differently.

You can find information on your local cycling and walking routes on the West Berkshire Council website, or why not make use of an online journey planner such as Cycle Streets or Cycle Travel. Alternatively, there are loads of apps to help you such as Komoot and Cyclemaps. There are loads of routes that are traffic-free or that make use of quiet roads.

We’d love you to send us some piccies of you out on your bike tomorrow – just connect on Facebook or Twitter #WorldCarFreeDay.

Newbury Town Centre Vision Consultation

Posted on by Secretary

A consultation is currently underway on the draft Vision for Newbury Town Centre. West Berkshire Council has engaged Hemingway Design to help develop the vision and manage the consultation, which will run until 16 July.

The vision has been informed by a previous public engagement exercise, which ran from December 2020 to January 2021 and attracted over 4,000 responses. The results from this latest consultation will be used to inform the preparation of the spatial vision and masterplan, with a draft report expected at the end of August.

This will then form the basis of the Newbury Town Centre Vision Supplementary Planning Document (SPD). This in turn will be subject to a formal consultation in the autumn prior to adoption later in the year. Once adopted, it will set the formal planning framework for the future regeneration and development of the town centre.

The Vision includes many elements that you would expect. addressing concerns about the retail and leisure offers within the town centre, improving Market Place and Northbrook Street, and making better use of the canal. It is good to see that the vision recognises what other studies have shown, which is that people who live close to the town centre and walk and cycle there, visit more frequently and spend more money.

Improving access for walking and cycling trips is identified as an aspiration within the Vision, but it is recognised that these options will not be viable for all and there will still be a need to accommodate travel by car in future, which is reasonable.

The need to improve access to parks and open spaces is recognised, particularly Victoria Park, as well as improving access to and between these areas by walking and cycling. Signage within the town centre currently focuses on walking trips, with cycling barely featuring on any of the signs and monoliths.

Some questions do remain in relation to proposals set out in the Vision document, such as how future usage of the towpath will be managed if flows of pedestrians and cyclists increase. The towpath forms part of National Cycle Route 4 and is a key route for through-trips as well as those with the town centre as its destination.

There is also a proposal for a new pedestrian bridge between Bridge Street and Parkway, but it is not clear if this will be open to cyclists.

The Vision indicates a desire to make better use of the alleys off Northbrook Street – again it is worth noting that NCN4 makes use of Northcroft Lane, which although narrow, currently has few shops and is relatively lightly used by pedestrians.

Finally, there are proposals to allocate more space to pavement cafes and landscaping in Northbrook Street. However, this will inevitably restrict the space available for movement, and it would be good to understand how this space will be managed in order to minimise conflict between pedestrians and cyclists. As with the towpath, it should be recognised that Northbrook Street is a key route for cycle trips through as well as to the town centre.

SPOKES would encourage anyone who cycles to and through the town centre to have their say and ensure that the needs of cyclists are properly taken into account.

Annual General Meeting 2021

Posted on by Secretary

In accordance with our constitution, the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of West Berkshire Spokes will take place at 11:00a.m, for an 11:15am start, on Sunday 27 June 2021 in the upstairs room at The Tea Shop by The Canal (the Stone Building), The Wharf, Newbury, RG14 5AS

All SPOKES members are very welcome to attend the AGM. The Tea Shop will be selling teas, coffees, cold drinks, sandwiches, cakes and other refreshments, for members to buy if they wish.  

Below are links to the AGM papers:

If you have any items that you wish to add to the agenda, then please notify the SPOKES Secretary by emailing secretary@westberkshirespokes.org by midnight on Friday 11 June. The final agenda will be provided at the AGM itself.

All committee posts are up for re-election. We will have at least one vacancy this time, so if you have any nominations for any of the posts, then please notify the SPOKES Secretary by emailing secretary@westberkshirespokes.org by midnight on Friday 11 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/

Cycle Hub Opens at Newbury Station

Posted on by Secretary

A new cycle hub has recently opened on the south side of Newbury Station with 180 spaces provided in two-tier racks and a further 50 spaces provided via Sheffield stands outside. The cycle hub is fitted with multiple CCTV cameras and motion-sensor LED lighting. It also comes equipped with a pump and bike repair stand with tools attached.

A second cycle hub is proposed on the north side of the station. Opening later this year, it will provide an additional 176 spaces. Together, they will increase cycle parking for passengers by over 300 spaces.

The £1.2 million facilities are funded with support from the Department for Transport and the Thames Valley Berkshire Local Enterprise Partnership.

The hubs are welcome additions at the station. Previously, cycle parking on the south side was confined to a handful of stands, open to the elements in the corner of the car park. These were always full, requiring many cyclists to chain their bikes to the railings. Conditions on the north side were better, with Sheffield stands under cover on the platform alongside a handful of lockers.

The new cycle hubs provide secure and attractive parking facilities for cyclists, and combined with the filtered permeability scheme on the one-way section of Station Road, they should hopefully encourage more people to cycle and from the station as Covid restrictions are relaxed and things return to normal.