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Advisors to WSCC Cabinet Member for H&T

Submitted by Geoff Farrell on 2 October 2021 - 9:30am

Joy Cllr Joy Dennis, Cabinet Member for H&T, has signalled her focus on road safety by appointing Cllr Tom Richardson as Road Safety Advisor. This is very much to be welcomed because actual and perceived danger is a major inhibitor for people wanting to ride a bike. Cllr Richardson is very qualified for the role – he served for 15 years with the police service mostly as a specialist roads policing officer where he dealt with a huge variety of incidents.  And Cllr Dennis has renamed Cllr Sean McDonald's role as Cycling Champion to be Advisor for Active Travel.

Update - Cycling UK taking legal action against West Sussex County Council’s decision to remove the Upper Shoreham Road 'pop up' cycle lane

Submitted by Geoff Farrell on 22 September 2021 - 8:01am

Cycling UK is keeping up its effort to take WSCC to court over the removal of the Old Shoreham Road cycle lane.  Here is the result of an appeal - https://www.cyclinguk.org/press-release/west-sussex-county-council-go-court-over-cycle-lane-removal

 

Lots of schemes out for consultation

Submitted by Geoff Farrell on 23 July 2021 - 10:39am

A large number of Active Travel schemes are open for consultation - Chemroute, A24 at Findon and the A259 (Felpham to Littlehampton enhancement) might be the top three.  You can find them at https://yourvoice.westsussex.gov.uk/hub-page/highways-transport-and-planning.      The school gate category includes a number across the county.   You'll also see that the Local Transport Plan 2022-2036 consultation is now open.  This sets the context for so many other policies - it's important.

Change at WSCC on Highways and Transport

Submitted by Geoff Farrell on 1 June 2021 - 8:23am

Cllr Joy Dennis has been appointed Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport following the County elections in early May.   Sean McDonald remains as Cycling Champion.   Cllr Dennis' appointment is especially welcome after the poor performance from her predecessor Cllr Elkins.   It's noteworthy that her brief includes the words 'All aspects of cycling'.   

Safety work improvement at Felpham junction to start on March 8 2021.

Submitted by Geoff Farrell on 4 March 2021 - 1:31pm

After a fatality at this junction at the Downview Road/Felpham Way lights more than a year ago, WSCC have redesigned the way that people on bicycles can navigate their way through it.   Very welcome and perhaps a model for other junctions that are similarly inherently hazardous but have not yet had a fatality to spur WSCC into making improvements.  Thanks are due to the WSCC's Road Safety Group Manager.

For the WSCC press release - https://www.westsussex.gov.uk/news/cycling-safety-improvement-works-due-to-start-next-week-in-felpham/

Cycling UK taking legal action against West Sussex County Council’s decision to remove the Upper Shoreham Road 'pop up' cycle lane

Submitted by Geoff Farrell on 25 February 2021 - 11:38am

Cycling UK has confirmed it will be taking legal action against West Sussex County Council’s decision to remove a popular cycle lane introduced during lockdown.  See the full press release -  https://www.cyclinguk.org/press-release/cycling-uk-takes-council-court-irrational-and-unlawful-removal-cycle-lane

No evidence that emergency services held up by cycle lanes, finds FOI request

Submitted by Geoff Farrell on 18 February 2021 - 11:01am

Claims that the pop up cycle lanes were thought of as a 'bad thing' by the ambulance emergency servies - has no foundation in fact.   See https://cyclingindustry.news/no-evidence-emergency-services-held-up-by-cycle-lanes-finds-foi-request/.    It's notable that our own South East Coast Ambulance NHS Trust did not respond so we cannot say that there were no delays in our county.

Launch of campaign for a route between Arundel and Ford Station!

Submitted by Geoff Farrell on 14 February 2021 - 11:55am

A campaign is under way to fund a dedicated path between Arundel and Ford railway station for people on foot and on bikes.  It would follow the route of the road but be entirely separate from it.  A letter - signed by more 50 councillors and dignitaries, including the Duke of Norfolk, the mayor of Arundel, the local MP Andrew Griffiths and his predecessor Lord Herbert – is aimed at raising awareness of the need for the path.  Andy Batty, Chairman of the Arundel Walking and Cycling Group, said “this is an incredible feat of unity”.

Cabinet Member for Highways removed pop up schemes without visiting any of them.

Submitted by Geoff Farrell on 27 January 2021 - 1:01pm

Six of the seven so called 'pop up schemes' have been removed.    We have discovered through a FOI request to WSCC that Cllr Roger Elkins - Cabinet Member for Highways and Infrastructure - did not visit any of them in person.   He relied on the Council's Officers to report to him.   Even when the Shoreham scheme was called in and a 6-2 vote asked him to reconsider - still he didn't think it worth his time to see for himself.   This is about credibility.   The WSCF view is that he has none.

Cycling UK prepares to take WSCC to court over the decision to remove the Shoreham scheme

Submitted by Geoff Farrell on 4 January 2021 - 1:47pm

Cycling UK is preparing for legal challenges following decisions to remove cycle lanes in Kensington and West Sussex.

The national charity announced on Friday through its legal arm, the Cyclists' Defence Fund, that it is 'seeking urgent legal advice' over whether the decisions are 'unreasonable'.   A well-used lane on High Street Kensington in West London was removed among claims it caused congestion.  However, Justin Abbot, chair of BetterStreets4KC, said: 'Levels of congestion were unaffected by the cycle scheme.'

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