To receive an update on the cycling Strategy.

The Principal Transport Policy Officer stated he had made changes to the Strategy that were requested at the previous meeting. He added he had received 88 responses to the online survey on Cycling prior to the deadline with a further nine responses received thereafter. Two thirds of the respondents were from the Borough and were of various ages. One per cent of the respondents listed themselves as disabled. Most of the people that responded to the survey were regular cyclists and the majority of residents were agreed on the vision of the Cycling Strategy. Cyclists requested new dedicated cycle routes and suggested there was strong support for more cycling parking in town. There was high levels of support for the Borough to work with Network Rail to provide more parking for cycles at train stations.

The Principal Transport Policy Officer confirmed he had been working on proposals to provide 300 cycle parking spaces at Maidenhead train station. He stated the parking would be under cover with two tier racking. He hoped there would also be CCTV coverage. The Chairman confirmed there was a paper going to Cabinet regarding the changes to the Borough’s CCTV network but he was hopeful that Maidenhead train station would still have CCTV in place.

The Principal Transport Policy Officer stated that residents wanted safer routes to schools with a 20mph speed limit in place on roads outside schools. They also wanted extra curricular activities around cycling to be available also. He added that residents also showed support for businesses to adopt workplace travel plans that included cycling with facilities for changing and securing cycles when parked. People felt there were enough cycle ride leaders but showed enthusiasm for cycle scheme referrals from GPs. The Principal Transport Policy Officer confirmed that the Cycle Hub in Maidenhead had been training ride leaders.

One of the highest priorities that came out of the survey was training in Bike-ability for adults. Funding could be sought through corporate sponsorship. Responders also felt that the targets quoted in the Cycling Strategy could be a little more challenging, so the Principal Transport Policy Officer amended those to reflect that.

The Principal Transport Policy Officer received responses from other groups and Bucks County Council which were covered in the main report.

v  Action: The Principal Transport Policy Officer to look into recruiting Sky ride Leaders each year to maintain numbers of Leaders.

The Chairman went through all the amendments made to the Cycling Strategy and the following main points were highlighted:

Ø  The vision statement was amended to show that it was a future state of the vision and not the current state.

Ø  To increased from 15% to 20% the SMART target to increase cycling trips between 2015 and 2020.

Ø  To reduce from 10% to 20% cyclist casualties between 2015 and 2020

Ø  The SMART target figures on increasing cycling trips would be collected and compared year on year and would be carried out in September each year during term time.

Ø  NHT public satisfaction survey was used to measure residents satisfaction score for cycle routes and facilities.

Ø  The following was added to the Cycle Routes section of the Strategy:

o   Ensure that provision for cyclists is incorporated in the Borough Local Plan and associated documents such as the Infrastructure Delivery Plan.

o   Work in partnership to develop multi-user routes and create links to fill gaps in the network.

Ø  Amendment to the bullet point under Cycle Routes that states Introduce 20mph speed limits around schools and in other areas where there may be significant numbers of cyclists and/or pedestrians

Ø  The Principal Transport Policy Officer to clarify what was meant by multi-user routes and if that included off road routes.

Ø  Under Wayfinding, the second to last bullet point was amended to read Review and update the Borough’s cycle route map to ensure that it remains current and includes information that is useful and relevant to cyclists. Demand will be reviewed regularly to see whether further reprints are needed.

Ø  Under Cycle Parking, a bullet point was added which reads: Consider introducing on-street, secure bike hangers in residential streets where there is significant demand, subject to local consultation.

Ø  The Principal Transport Policy Officer will add a photo of an example of a bike hanger for reference.

Ø  Under the Health and Wellbeing section of the strategy, the first bullet point under 6.27 was amended to read: Support local volunteer ride leaders to deliver a programme of led bike rides.

Ø  Under the Recreation and Sports Cycling section, the second bullet point under 6.32 was added and reads: Provide and enhance links to existing recreational cycle routes, such as the National Cycle Network, the Jubilee River and Windsor Great Park.

Ø  The Principal Transport Policy Officer confirmed that Anthony Hurst, Principal Officer for Rights of Way was working with the Thames Strategy Group to add cycling to their agenda.

Ø  Under the section Practical Support and Training, the final bullet point was amended to add Parkwood Leisure as a partner to work with.

Ø  Marketing and communications – the fifth bullet point down under 6.38 was amended to read: Deliver road safety campaigns, supporting the national ‘THINK!’ campaigns, supplemented by local campaigns to encourage safe and responsible behaviours by cyclists and other road users.

Ø  Funding: under 7.3, a bullet point was added: Corporate sponsorship.

Ø  Cllr Yong suggested adding Heathrow Airport to the list of corporate funders.

Ø  Add the A308 as a road used by cyclists on page 43 under the heading Existing Cycling Activity.

Ø  Under Key issues on page 44 of the agenda, the third bullet point down was amended to include: i.e. through routes for cyclists but not motor vehicles.

Ø  The Action Plan table on page 45 of the agenda was amended as follows:

o   Remove the original item 10 that read ‘Liaise with Ascot Racecourse regarding a possible cycle route across the racecourse between Kennel Avenue and the golf course’.

Ø  The Principal Transport Policy Officer agreed to send the Strava link for usage on Imperial Road and Winkfield Road to Susy Shearer

v  Action: all targets to be reviewed annually at the Cycle Forum.

v  Action: The Principal Transport Policy Officer to clarify what was meant by multi-user routes and if that included off road routes.

v  Action: The Principal Transport Officer to add a photo to the Cycling Strategy of an example of a bike hanger for reference.

v  Action: Cllr Yong to send the Chairman and the Principal Transport Policy Officer information on air pollution tables and where the Royal Borough is placed on those tables.

v  Action: The Principal Transport Policy Officer to send the Strava Link data for usage on Imperial Road and Winkfield Road to Susy Shearer.

Ø  Under Local Destinations on page 58 of the agenda pack, a bullet point was added under the sub heading of shopping to include the Tesco Express on Horton Road.

Ø  Under key issues on page 59 of the agenda pack, the fourth bullet point down was amended to read: The cycle route alongside B470 Major’s Farm Road is partially obstructed by an earth embankment that has been installed to prevent illegal Gypsy encampments in the adjacent field. It is also unlit for much of its length.

Ø  On page 60 of the agenda in the table under the sub heading Action Plan, action point six was amended to read: Widen the cycle track behind the earth embankment alongside B470 Major’s Farm Road.

Ø  Action point 7 was added to the table on page 60 of the agenda pack to read: Investigate lighting options for the cycle route alongside Major’s Farm Road.

Ø  Under Key Issues on page 81 of the agenda, two bullet points were added that read:

o   There is a shortfall of cycle parking at Maidenhead Station.

o   There is a shortfall of cycle parking around the King Street access to the Nicholsons Centre.

Ø  The following bullet point on page 81 was amended to read: The Town suffers from having few through routes in a north-south and east-west direction, which makes it difficult to create filtered permeability for cyclists (i.e. through routes for cyclists but not motor vehicles).

Ø  The following bullet point was added to the end of the list on page 81 under Key Issues: The route from Cox Green to Maidenhead Station is poorly lit.

The Chairman stated there was a proposal to demolish the Nicholsons Centre car park and add more floors and to create a better access route from Nicholsons to the Landing so, there may be an opportunity to address cycle parking there and that could be flagged up to developers.

The Principal Transport Officer informed Members that amendments had been made to the table on pages 82 and 83 of the agenda pack and also on pages 90 to 95. Susy Shearer commented that Dedworth did not begin at the roundabout at the end of Clarence Road but began at the junction of Parsonage Lane and Hatch Lane. She added there were safety issues there due to an increase in traffic and she wanted to highlight the issues to see if anything could be done. Susy Shearer also stated that Hatch Lane had been waiting for resurfacing for some 20 years .

The Principal Transport Policy Officer confirmed that the subway at Sainsbury’s in Maidenhead was one of the largest subways there was in the Borough and that it could be reviewed as part of the West Street Opportunity area and that he would include that in the Cycling Strategy.

Susy Shearer stated that there was no safe route at the Clarence Road roundabout for cyclists to use and that when the reconfiguration of the roundabout took place, it left cyclists without a legal and safe way to get across. That should be a high priority. There was a square sign for cyclists to dismount in order to use the underpass but, those signs could be ignored.

The Chairman confirmed the Strategy would go before the Highways, Transport and Environment Overview and Scrutiny Panel for comment and then would be adopted as a strategy.

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY: That Members of the Cycle Forum:

Ø  Noted the consultation results

Ø  Endorsed the proposed amendments to the draft Cycling Strategy.