SPOKES South West Herts Cycling Group
This is the campaigning web site of Spokes South West Herts Cycling Group. We campaign in the following parts of Hertfordshire:
◦ Three Rivers District,
◦ Watford Borough, plus
◦ the Bushey North and Bushey South electoral divisions of Hertsmere District.
Our aims are
◦To campaign for better conditions for cyclists in SW Herts.
◦To encourage more people to enjoy cycling.
◦To organise a programme of cycle rides to provide for all tastes.
◦To publish a quarterly newsletter free to members.
This Cyclescape group web site contains both public information (campaign news, events, and issues) and also allows Spokes members to discuss campaign issues privately if they wish:
Campaign News - https://spokesswherts.cyclescape.org/issues/2143-campaign-news-south-west-herts
Campaign Events - https://spokesswherts.cyclescape.org/issues/2132-campaign-events-south-west-herts
Campaign Issues - https://spokesswherts.cyclescape.org/issues
Membership of Spokes is open to any person who supports cycling. Spokes is independent and non-political. You can join us here:
http://www.spokesgroup.org.uk/join-spokes/
We show our support for the four E’s of cycle promotion (Engineering, Enforcement, Encouragement, and Education) with activities such as:
◦ Suggesting improvements/reporting problems affecting cycling by contacting and liaising with local authority councillors/officers.
◦ Contributing to consultations on planning applications, Local Plans, and local cycling strategies.
◦ Going to local fairs and events with displays of our work, plus supplies of leaflets, cycle gear, maps, etc.
◦ Taking part in the annual Bike Week in June, including offering rides for beginners and people thinking of getting back on their bikes. (Our rides programme throughout the year includes rides for the less confident).
◦ Spokes is affiliated to Cycling UK. It is also a member of the Hertfordshire County Council Cycling Forum and of CycleHerts (the federation of Hertfordshire Cycle Campaigning Groups).
Please report road and path hazards via Cycling UK's Fill That Hole web site at:
https://www.fillthathole.org.uk/
and follow what is going on nationally by subscribing to Cycling UK's monthly Cycle Campaign News service at:
http://www.cyclinguk.org/subscribe-to-cycle-campaign-news
For general information about Spokes, please visit our web site at:
http://www.spokesgroup.org.uk
and our Facebook group at:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/178161195994290/
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Review of the Highway Code
Goverment Review of HWC
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Micromobility - Future of Transport Call for Evidence
A discussion about the Dept for Transport's new Call for Evidence about changing the law regarding e-scooters and other similar vehicles. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/873363/future-of-transport-regulatory-review-call-for-evidence.pdf
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South Central Herts Growth and Transport Plan (GTP) 2019
The South Central Growth & Transport Plan (SCGTP) is a new transport strategy to help direct and plan transport improvements and investment in Welwyn Hatfield, Hertsmere and St Albans, developed in line with forecast development to 2031.
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Highway Code changes
A bill is being put forward to sentence any cyclist convicted of dangerous cycling to a 14 year prison term.
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Cycling and Walking Link - Rickmansworth Station/Colne Valley Trail
The Colne and Crane Green Infrastructure Strategy includes a proposed new walking and cycling link between Rickmansworth Station and the Colne Valley Trail at Rickmansworth Aquadrome. At its meeting on November 4th 2019, Batchworth Community Council set up a project to ensure that this new route was implemented via Rickmansworth Town Centre, in line with two of Rickmansworth Parish Councillors' strategies.
This would involve designing the preferred route via Bury Lane, Rickmansworth and then part-funding Hertfordshire County Council to create it.
This shows the course of the preferred route, which is open to a phased implementation as funds permit.
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Northway Square, Rickmansworth
Create an unsegregated cyclist/walker area in the paved area that was produced when the northern arm of Northway, Rickmansworth became traffic-free. Call it Northway Square. This would become the centre of Rickmansworth's cycling/walking network, with Bikeability level 2 routes leading:
* To National Cycle Network Route 61 (The Colne Valley Trail at the Aquadrome), to Mill End, and to Maple Cross.
* To Rickmansworth Station, to Chorleywood, and to The Cedars Estate,
* To Croxley Green, via Three Rivers District Council's car park.
Upgrade the existing public footpath to a bridleway so the route remains on the definitive map.
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Harrow draft LIP
Harrow's draft Local Implementation Plan sets out the transport strategy for the next 3 years.
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DfT consultations
Current DfT consultations.
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DfT Policy Paper - Inclusive Transport Strategy
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/inclusive-transport-strategy
Lots of interesting stuff about inclusive transport regarding trains, buses, cars, public realm, streets and yes a bit about cycling too. Quotes:
Shared Space:
8.11 While we consider CIHT and DPTAC’s recommendations and how to take them
forward, we are requesting that local authorities pause any shared space schemes
incorporating a level surface they are considering, and which are at the design stage.
We are also temporarily suspending Local Transport Note 1/11. This pause will allow
us to carry out research and produce updated guidance.Objectives regarding Cycling:
• Update Local Transport Note 2/08, which sets out the Department’s guidance to
local authorities on designing safe and inclusive infrastructure for cyclists, to take
account of developments in cycling infrastructure since its publication in 2008 and
the responses to the draft AAP consultation and publish a revised version by early
2019;
• By 2020, explore the feasibility of amending legislation to recognise the use of
cycles as a mobility aid71 in order to increase the number of disabled people
cycling. -
South West Herts Growth and Transport Plan Consultation
Hertfordshire County Council has developed a new transport strategy for the South West Herts area. The Draft South West Herts Growth & Transport Plan (GTP) proposes packages of transport schemes responding to transport challenges linked to planned growth across the area, and in support of the proposed objectives of this plan and the objectives of Hertfordshire’s new Local Transport Plan 4.
The South West Herts GTP focuses on Hemel Hempstead and the Watford area as well as links to surrounding towns including St Albans, Harpenden, Luton, Bushey and Rickmansworth. The plan has been developed with support from HCC’s consultant AECOM and with input from local county councillors and district council partners.
A Summary of the draft South West Herts GTP has been produced for this consultation. If you would like to explore the proposals and background in more detail this is set out in main document for the plan -- the South West Herts GTP Prospectus.