Vickers on the trail for town centre cycling
February 22, 2007 12:00 AM
Tony Vickers is concerned about cycle rack provision in Newbury town centre
Northcroft Councillor Tony Vickers is campaigning for a better ride for town centre cyclists and will be presenting a 59-signature petition to West Berkshire Council's town centre task group asking for more cycle racks in Newbury.
Expressing his hopes for the petition, Councillor Vickers commented:
"The evidence of need is there - every day we can see bikes padlocked to trees and road signs in Market Place [see attached photo]. For the sake of the visually-impaired, who need to know where to expect obstacles, we should regularise the situation and make proper provision for bike racks where cyclists will use them. It defeats the whole object of cycling if people are made to park bikes in a car park - especially when there is no cycle route leading to the car park, as is the case with Wharf Road and Central car parks."
Councillor Vickers has also been asking council officers to introduce some contra-flow cycle lanes in one-way streets in Newbury town centre. Affected streets include West Mills, West Street, Wharf Street and Station Road.
"I'm also asking for the 'no right turns' at the Market Street / Cheap Street junction to be made 'except cyclists'", said Tony. "A number of Northcroft residents have contacted me to show support for this as Northcroft is especially 'cut off' from the rest of the town by one-way streets - either a cyclist has to dismount or break the law!"
At the recent West Berks Cycle Forum - where the Council talks to cycling groups about its policies - it was agreed to pilot contra-flow cycle lanes, with just one in West Mills.
"It is about time regulations affecting cyclists were made by people who actually use bikes themselves", concluded Tony. "As someone who frequently travels around the country by train, bike and on foot, I'm confident that we don't need to 'pilot' sensible exemptions for cyclists in such things as 'no right turn' and 'one way street. Others have done these things elsewhere."
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