NOTES of meeting on Monday, 12 June 2000

Present: Alan Flaherty (Epsom and Ewell Borough Council)

Bob Eberhard, Colin Quemby, Colin Wing, Piers Nicholson,

Apologies from John Bird and Shirley Quemby.

1. Matters arising from Minutes of 28 February 2000 meeting

· Long Grove Road/Hook Road/Lower Court Road cycle lane: No progress.

· Hogsmill Lottery Bid: Too expensive; we have to pay two thirds.

· Lifestyle bike route still on.

· Pound Lane contra flow scheme: On hold, no money.

· East Street cycle lane on path would need flush surface across side roads and this makes it more expensive. Money possibly from the Epsom Movement Package.

· Jake Dodd mentioned the raised thick line between cycle and pedestrian path, in Christ Church Road, which caused a member of the Cheam and Morden Club Run to catch his rear wheel and steer him into the ditch. Alan to speak to Dave Sharpington to see if it has happened before.

· Town Hall Access Road has taken all the money earmarked for cycle routes.

· A new cycle map will be produced for the New Year.

2. Any Progress

· Hospitals Cluster has a new Contractor and work will take up to 6 months to finish. Cycle signs are going up.

· Christ Church junction: The old road is dug up and being landscaped as we speak.

· Epsom Station/Lifestyle: No progress.

· Epsom Movement Bid: £135,000; some money is for cycle schemes.

3. Safe Routes to School

· List of schemes drawn up; to be approved.

· Chessington Road Pelican Crossing at West Ewell Bridge.

· Longmead Road/Chessington Road Junction: Narrowed carriageway and large refuge islands installed.

· Epsom Road/Ewell By Pass: Side road reopened for bikes. Pedestrian crossing installed.

· Spring Street Horse Pond: Changed from 2 to 1 lane plus cycle lane. Advanced stop line.

· Spring Hotel: Advanced stop lines and pedestrian phase. Bourne Hall/Spring Street: Traffic signals with pedestrian crossing facility.

· Worple Road/Avenue Road: Traffic calming scheme.

· Chalk Lane Improvement: Table and bollards.

· West Hill/Station Approach: Pelican Crossing.

· Ewell By Pass and Cheam Road may get lights with a whole red phase to allow pedestrians to cross in one go.

4. Stones Road Rail Underpass

· Dave Sharpington has been in touch with Railtrack. They will meet at the underpass.

5. Spirit of the Oak Ride

· Alan has checked course.

· Everything’s organised.

6. National Cycle Network/East to West Surrey Route

· A link with Epsom is being thought out.

· Sutton cycle route could be linked from Northey Avenue using the bridlepath to link with Epsom and Ewell route. Very cheap.

· Cycle lanes may be printed on Cheam Road and a traffic camera installed.

· Banstead Road may have lights eventually.

· Reigate Road cycle lights take a minute to change and this is not good enough. Cycle Forum to write a letter to sort it out.

· Road planings needed on Epsom Downs routes.

· Colliers Close and Horton Park: A good link?

7. Next meeting

· Monday, 18 September 2000 at 4 p.m.

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EPSOM AND EWELL CYCLE FORUM

NOTES of meeting on Monday, 28 February 2000

Present: Alan Flaherty (Epsom and Ewell Borough Council)

John Bird, Kathy Chetwynd, Jake Dodd, Bob Eberhard,

Charles Hallifax, Piers Nicholson, Colin and Shirley Quemby,

Carolyn Page, Colin Wing

David Sharpington (Surrey County Council)

1. Membership

· New member Carolyn Page was welcomed.

· Charles Hallifax was leaving the district and was therefore resigning.

2. Matters Arising from Minutes of 6 December 1999

· Long Grove Rd/Hook Rd/Lower Court Rd lamp columns were being installed and bollards improved. Cycle lanes painted green.

· Hogsmill lottery bid sidelined. DS and AF to discuss. Later in the meeting, AF produced a plan showing how it was proposed to effect a crossing of Ruxley Lane where the road crossed the Hogsmill, and how this would fit in with the Hogsmill Cycle Route if this could be funded.

· Waterloo Rd/Station Approach: Toucan crossings later. Advance stop lines could be appropriate, whilst footpath to East St alongside railway embankment needed resolution with Railtrack.

· Cycle lanes along Tattenham Corner Rd on Downs now in situ.

· Riverview Road off-road link to A240 awaiting restoration of finance set aside temporarily for other priorities.

· Pound Lane contra flow still on hold. Awaiting funding 2000/01? KC voiced concern about the crossing of Hook Rd in this scheme, but AF reassured that this was in hand with crossing lights envisaged.

· East St cycle lanes were considered desirable, especially with the wide width of Epsom bound pavement. Obstructions such as the square planters were a problem. Stop lines on emerging side roads were a subject of discussion, especially if located in line with kerbs running alongside main road. Waiting vehicles could block any cycle lane that might be approved. There might possibly be some finance that could be found from within a sum of £135,000 reserved for projects arising out of the Epsom Movement Package. AF to talk to George Burnett of SCC on this.

· JB confirmed that shrubbery on the uphill side of Langley Vale Rd between the village and the Rubbing House had still not been trimmed back. A plea for action was put forward.

· AF confirmed that the Cycle Guide for 2000 may well be available by 1 April, this containing only changes to text and a review of some photographic layout.

2. Progress on Borough Schemes

Hospital Cluster:

Work on the re-development of the road and cycleway network had come to an abrupt halt. AF said this was due to a Health Authority issue with the Environment Agency about the discharge of drainage water entering the Hogsmill.

There was a call for the cycleway heading along Christ Church Road towards Malden Rushett, to be extended onto a shared use path to the Stew Ponds. It was little used by pedestrians.

Also, there was comment on the painted white lines in the same area which seemed to signify a cycle lane but which, when entering the roundabout area, disappeared. AF said that this white line was an edge of carriageway line, not a cycle lane, although many used it as a cycle facility. There seemed a need for the existing layout to be geared towards providing a cycle lane but AF would look into it.

Epsom Station and Lifestyle Centre Schemes:

Because of near location, the two projects were linked as far as cycle facilities were concerned. The question of the link with East St and the traffic lights at Station Approach and Waterloo Rd, is referred to under Matters Arising.

Audit of cycle use in the station entrance showed an average of 70 bicycles per day, although there were often up to 100 depending on the weather etc. Provision, it seemed, in the new complex would provide for this demand and given Sheffield stands could cope with one cycle on each side, then this might appear satisfactory. What was of concern was the absence of any contra flow for cycling in Station Approach itself round to West St. The Forum believed this should be pursued as the route was particularly well used by young people attending Rosebery and other schools.

The Forum was still concerned about the need for cycle lanes in Waterloo Rd and Station Approach, given the blocking of cars, although it was acknowledged that it was a traffic engineering problem to provide these. Whether a solution could be found from within the Transportation Study for Epsom Town Centre which AF was hoping might be funded by Developers, would be interesting.

Cycle Safety – Schools:

DS talked about overcoming the antipathy to cycling within the primary school thinking. A number of schools had changed their attitudes and cycle training was being introduced to some. SQ broached the fact that normal sized Sheffield Stands were too tall for children as their bicycles would merely fall through. She asked for this to be noted when future cycle provision was being considered. As an aside, some members noted that stands located at Epsom Hospital were of an unconventional shape and suggested that perhaps a word could be passed on to the Trust to say so.

A Safety Routes to School Project in Epsom and Ewell embodied proposals for the Ewell area. These were based on improvements in Spring Street in Ewell, as well as at the end of the Ewell By Pass, whilst attention might well be given to the crossings of side roads along the Longmead Cycle Route.

Spirit of the Oak Ride:

Details were released as to the proposed Spirit of the Oak Rides. These were embodied in coloured leaflets setting out the programme for all twelve rides in Surrey. There had been a major input, not only from each of the local authorities involved, but from The British Heart Foundation whose expertise in organising the London to Brighton Bike Ride was brought to bear on our project. There would be a £5 voluntary registration fee for the event, benefiting the British Heart Foundation, which would be held on 22 June 2000 from 5.30pm to 7pm, starting at Horton Country Park. A barbecue was being planned at the Rubbing House. PN suggested publicity for this be included in our web site. This was agreed and he would take details.

Stones Road Rail Bridge:

The unblocking of the Stones Road Railway Bridge was seen to be an essential feature within the Borough cycle network. Railtrack might realise that by providing a route under the lines, this would save bridge maintenance, as well as being one less choice location for vandals to lob stones down on to passing trains. DS and AF to meet Railtrack.

National Cycle Network/East to West Surrey Route:

Plans were produced to enable members of the Forum to see the proposed east/west Surrey Cycleway. Following a route from Farnham through to Reigate and Redhill, the route in effect shadowed the North Downs Way. Access to the route was envisaged from towns either side of the route and, for Epsom and Ewell, a proposed connecting route was studied. This climbed from Epsom up Chalk Lane to the Rubbing House, whereupon it headed south across the racecourse to lock on to Ebbisham Lane, taking it to Walton on the Hill and beyond to the E/W route. Members were interested in the proposals and took due note.

3. Any other business

Meadow Walk: JD submitted a plea for a widening of the access on one side of the railway underpass. This was on the grounds of safety given the inside of the accessway curved round to the right, blocking sight lines at a time when young tearaways might be heading for the opening. Cutting back the grass verge on the outside of the curve would help. AF would study the situation.

Toucan Crossings at Alexandra Road and A240 did not change quickly enough. Members requested that timing be looked at.

Downs Road parking was raised by CP as she contested that parked cars on the left hand side as one proceeded uphill, endangered cyclists especially when a hatched dividing line down the middle constrained motorists also proceeding uphill to keep within the uphill carriageway. She asked whether a cycle lane could run uphill along this stretch to persuade car drivers not to park there. AF and members were not convinced that such a scheme would dissuade car drivers from parking there.

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EPSOM AND EWELL CYCLE FORUM

NOTES of meeting held at the Town Hall at 4 p.m. on Monday, 24 May 1999

Present: Alan Flaherty (Epsom and Ewell Borough Council) John Bird, Kathy Chetwynd, Bob Eberhard, Charles Hallifax, Piers Nicholson, Colin Quemby, Shirley Quemby, Terry Slattery

Apology: Colin Wing

1. Progress on Borough Schemes

Longmead Road: now completed, including new asphalted section between Hook Road and Blenheim Road, and dropped kerbs.

Station Approach/Waterloo Road junction: roundabout to be replaced by Toucan crossing as part of Lifestyle Centre works.

Path from Waterloo Road – East Street at foot of railway embankment: a cycle path would be made, but it would be at least a year before it was available because of the extensive works necessary.

Pound Lane Contra-flow: planning progressing.

Hogsmill Path: evidence collection for Lottery funding bid application continues.

The Parade – Church Street: a signed cycle path now exists through the Silver Birches site, but the exit to Church Street is the vehicle entrance and not the pedestrian entrance much nearer to the High Street.

Bob recorded the Group’s disappointment that Councillors’ decisions had produced a path that considerably reduced the off-road element and would mean cyclists would use the most desirable route between The Parade and Church Street which was, strictly speaking, not designated for cycling.

2. Links with Hospitals Cluster

Alan, David Sharpington, Dominic Forbes (SCC) and Bob had for the Hospitals Cluster Community Forum, made a route survey visit by cycle on 27 April.

As a result, £20,000 of the Surrey CC’s £100,000 cycle scheme budget (reduced from the £200,000 recorded in the 15 March meeting minutes) would be allocated for an improvement to the Long Grove Road/Hook Road/Lower Court Road junction for which Alan had costed the scheme.

More works would also be required to improve the "quiet route" links from the Town Centre:

Waterloo Road to the start of the path into the Court Rec.

Resurfacing of the western end of the bridleway in the Court Rec.

Christ Church Road south side pavement to be made shared use eastwards back to the Church.

3. Cycle Track Orders

Action: Alan to check if these have been advertised.

4. Cycle Lanes along main roads/Advanced Stop Lines

Piers asked for an experimental marked lane on a main road to allow cyclists a clear passage to overtake on the inside long lines of slow moving vehicles in the peak hour, suggesting the A24 southwards towards the Organ Inn. At present, cyclists have the less satisfactory alternatives, because some vehicles stay too close to the kerb, of either weaving in or out, or occasional mounting of the pavement, or overtaking on the outside.

Alan is not at present convinced of the case, and in allocation of limited funds, has preferred during the next year to introduce some advanced stop lines.

5. Proposed Cyclists’ Right Turn from High Street East to Waterloo Road

In response to a query from Piers, Alan has looked into the possibility of a cyclists’ right turn from High Street East to Waterloo Road and considers it too dangerous.

6. Routes to Rosebery School

Terry has written to Rosebery School (and received no reply) about pupils cycling and walking from Woodcote Green Road to Dorking Road and the School through the Hospital grounds. A barrier has also been installed to deter motorists using the Hospital as a short cut.

Colin Quemby raised the issue that any provided out of public funds should be available for general use by the public who had paid for it.

It was hoped that the Safe Routes to School initiative might provide information about the home addresses of pupils using this route and allow for a solution which would both be acceptable to the pupils and to the Hospital Authorities. It was noted that the footpath between the Ladas and Dorking Road was extremely narrow and quite unsuitable for shared use.

7. Safe Routes to School

Completed forms had been returned, and a map had been prepared for each school, plotting what pupils and parents perceived as deterrents to cycling and walking. Alan had made a list of 9 spots worthy of further investigation for remedial action.

8. Pams Way/Riverview Road Route

It was noted that this route had been newly included in the 1999 Guide. Alan confirmed that appropriate surfacing and other highway works to link the west end of Riverview Road with the RB of Kingston A240 south side cycle track, would be undertaken later in the financial year when funding became available.

9. Delta Road

It was noted that a "no cycling" footpath between Thorndon Gardens and Salisbury Road had been included by mistake in the 1998 Map. This had been removed in the 1999 edition, but Delta Road had continued to be shown in yellow, but not linked to the rest of the route network.

Links back to Stoneleigh and onwards to the Borough boundary at Old Malden were mentioned.

10. Epsom and Ewell Cycle Guide

Alan agreed to show links with other Borough and district networks in the 2000 edition of the Guide.

11. Epsom Town Centre

Action: Alan to contact David Sharpington to look at how conditions for cyclists might be improved in the Town Centre.

Bob asked Alan to ensure that the path to be reopened between the Station and the Town Centre to the west of the new store, should be available for cyclists. This would be of considerable assistance to cyclists from the Station to West Street and West Hill.

12. Roads around Epsom Hospitals Cluster sites – cycle provision

The Group saw, for information, plans of the cycle provision along the roads around the Hospitals Cluster sites – Horton Lane, Hook Road, Chessington Road, etc.

13. Millennium Rides

It was recognised that there was a growing public weariness about further proposed Millennium events and no decision was made about whether such an event should be contemplated.

14. Bike to Work Day

It was noted that W.S. Atkins, the Borough Council and the Hospital, were organising Bike to Work Days, the usual feature being a free breakfast for participants.

15. LA21 : Dr Bike Session

On behalf of the Local Agenda 21 Transport Group, Colin Wing is organising a Dr Bike/cycle information session on the morning of Saturday, 5 June and would be glad of any help.

16. Targets for cycle use

Alan reported that the Council had not collected any figures on cycle use.

17. Date of next meeting

Monday, 20 September 1999 at 16.00 hours at the Town Hall.

If you would like to attend a meeting of the Forum as a guest, please get in touch with Alan Flaherty at the Town Hall - 01 372 732 000