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Cycle paths

The Traffic and Transport Sub Committee has submitted The Society's recommendations on the proposed cyclepaths for Marlow to the Wycombe District Council.

CREATING A CYCLE NETWORK FOR MARLOW

Consultation Response from THE MARLOW SOCIETY

INTRODUCTION

The Marlow Society is strongly supportive of the local authorities’ proposals to develop a comprehensive cycle network for Marlow. In its response to the Local Transport Plan II consultation, the Society advocated the recognition of Marlow as a suitable candidate for Demonstration Cycle Town status. This reflected our view that the topography and layout of most of the town makes it very suitable for cycling and that to achieve a significant modal shift from car to cycling would contribute to easing traffic congestion in the town and to sustainable development. We were also conscious that many people in the town and its adjacent settlements, including many quite elderly people and families with young children, have cycles and would use them more if an integrated safe cycling network and related infrastructure were provided. We note that cycling between Marlow and Bourne End seems to have increased since the shared cycle path between the two towns was developed. The Society has repeatedly highlighted the opportunities for developing new cycle routes in its responses to recent planning applications (e.g. 109 -117 Little Marlow Road and Great Marlow School). It regrets that the local planning authorities have not grasped these opportunities as a condition of planning permission and trust that the need for a more joined-up approach to cycle network development will follow this consultation.

PRINCIPLES

Critical mass of designated cycle routes We believe that a significant modal shift to cycling will not be achieved unless Marlow residents, workers and visitors can perceive, on the ground, a critical mass of cycle path provision and accompanying infrastructure, such as adequate cycle racks and cyclist friendly crossings of busy roads. The current proposals will go along way towards that goal, provided that sufficient of the proposals outlined are implemented within a relatively short period.
Cycle paths should be segregated from pedestrian paths wherever practicable. We believe segregated cycle routes should be provided wherever possible, provided that this does not detract significantly from the generally pleasant environment of the town and its open spaces. Cyclists and pedestrians should be segregated for safety reasons and to ensure that current and would-be walkers are not deterred from walking compared to other modes. The provision of at least some segregated cycle paths would give a clear message that the local authorities were serious about encouraging cycling. We accept that shared use paths make sense where pedestrian paths are lightly used, especially when funding is a constraint. However, it would be short-sighted and counter productive in the longer term to decide on a shared use option for cost saving purposes, when a segregated option was available and otherwise preferred.
Location of cycle racksWe accept that some people will wish to cycle into the High Street and leave their cycles there and more cycle racks there would be helpful. However, we believe that many cyclists destined for the town centre would be prepared to leave their cycles just outside the central area and walk the last few yards. We envisage therefore a number of cycle rack locations that are conveniently located in a ring around the main shopping centre. This could help to reduce the number of cyclists mixing with motorists and pedestrians in the busiest parts of the town.
Developer contributionsAdvantage should be taken of the planning process to give increased priority to the development of a critical mass of cycling provision.
CYCLE NETWORK ROUTES
Orange routes (Those requiring improvement work) Most of these are core strategic routes. Those within the town’s built boundary (with the possible exception of the Henley Road) are all ‘high priority’ routes in terms of providing essential links in the network and meeting the ‘critical mass’ principle described above. Little Marlow RoadAs the Society has pointed out in various consultations and planning application representations previously, this route is the prime candidate for a segregated cycle path. It would also remove the largest outstanding gap in the strategic cycle route between Bourne End/Well End and Marlow town centre. We agree that a north-side route is the best option. Our previous proposals stressed the following points:

The original developer’s proposals for 109 – 117 provided for a segregated cycle path in front of the new development linked to the shared route to Well End that currently terminates at the adjacent mini-roundabout. As far as we know, this provision has not been secured as a planning condition as we suggested.

There is ample space for the above segregated link to be extended to Wiltshire Road across the wide verge to the rear of the Stapleton Close houses backing onto Little Marlow Road.

That the present southerly boundary of the Great Marlow School site should be moved northwards to permit a segregated cycle path to be located along that stretch of the Little Marlow Road. This would be on the north side of the present tree-line along the edge of the school grounds. If this tree-line were tidied up and enhanced, it would help create a tree-lined avenue effect along this major approach into Marlow, which is in need of environmental improvement. Again, we are not aware that our proposal was secured as a planning condition. If it were not, we suggest that this should be the subject of urgent discussions with the landowners. This is a one-off opportunity to achieve significant environmental improvement along this gateway route into the town.

Support for a segregated cycle path on the north side of Little Marlow Road from Bobmore Lane to Brooke Furmstone Place. We believe this should also be located on the north side of the tree-line, rather than squeezed between the tree-line and the pedestrian pavement.

We firmly maintain these views and would add the following:

We support the conversion of the pelican crossing to a toucan crossing by Brooke Furmstone Place and the widening of the footpath on the south side towards Foxes Piece.

We are concerned that the proposed route then follows the service road in front of the Foxes Piece flats which is narrow and heavily constrained by parked vehicles, some of which are parked nose-in to a lay-by. We suggest that it would be safer and more consistent with the cycle network image we want to extend the segregated sections of this key route across the grassed island in front of the flats.

The Society’s Executive Committee considered these proposals at its last meeting and agreed that the provision of segregated routes across the grassed areas described above, if sensitively located in relation to the tree-lines, would not significantly detract from the environmental setting of these areas (see second principle).
Wycombe Road We support the specific proposals for Wycombe Road as set out in the consultation documentation, but please see our comments below.
Junction of Wycombe Road and Little Marlow Road This is already a congested junction and we are concerned to ensure that a scheme is devised that is both safe and convenient for pedestrians and cyclists, whilst not aggravating vehicular traffic congestion and control. We suggest possible options for junction improvements should be discussed between the relevant local authorities and local stakeholders.
Rookery Gardens We agree the consultation proposals but note that no continuation of cycle way provision is identified along Trinity Road to Dean Street car park where, hopefully, cycle racks will be provided.
The Allotments Both routes around the allotments are supported. The southern route in particular will provide a vital link between the east of the town and the town centre. The northern route will help link the north of the town to its business areas and potentially to the future Little Marlow Gravel Pits Countryside Park area.
Henley Road We support the principle of a cycle route along the Henley Road, particularly as this is also an important route for leisure cyclists. There are advantages and disadvantages as regards whether this should be located on the north or south side of the road. In favour of the north side is that it would avoid crossing the large number of accesses to housing on the south side. In favour of the south side is that three road junctions on the north side would be avoided and the popular leisure route for cycling along Harleyford Lane is on that side of the road, as are the Pound Lane and Westwood Road (Green) cycle routes. Also, cyclists heading towards Henley would not have to cross the dangerous bend outside the Hare and Hounds. If a route from Marlow to Danesfield School could be found (see below), this is likely to be to the south of the Henley Road. On balance, the southern option, which does not have a pedestrian pavement for most of the route, does seem to have some significant advantages.
Gypsy Lane bridleway We support this proposal which will enhance this non-vehicular route between the town and Marlow Bottom and would form part of a proposed cycling route between Marlow and High Wycombe.
Green Routes (Signed routes on existing roads) We support the basic route network proposed, with the following suggestions for review and enhancement.
Queens Road/Cambridge Road We understand that school buses regularly use Queens Road, which is probably also busier than Cambridge Road. We suggest that the latter might be more appropriate for the east-west link from Oxford Road.
Crown Lane/Dukes Place This route terminates at a narrow and busy part of Spittal Street, with no obvious place at which to park bicycles. We suggest the sponsoring councils should seek to get cycle access through Morris Place (directly opposite Dukes Place, by the side of Marks and Spencer) into Liston Road, with a view to terminating this north-south route into the town centre at the southern end of Liston Road, where cycle parking facilities should be located (see below). Consideration could be given to a raised cushion between Dukes Place and Morris Place (provided any road signage required could be sensitively located) to ease cyclist and pedestrian crossing and reduce traffic speed along Spittal Street.
Railway crossing Both gates of the railway crossing between Fieldhouse Lane and Gossmore Lane are very restrictive for cyclists and could be improved .
Additional proposals:
Parkway A notable omission is any provision for cycling along Parkway to encourage business park and industrial estate workers to cycle to work. The north-south part of Parkway is wide enough for a ‘white-lined’ on-road cycle path to be provided for south bound cyclists. The pavement on the west side of the road could be upgraded to a shared route for two-way cycle traffic. The latter would also link into the east-west routes proposed from the Volvo A404 footbridge.
Glade Road Another missing link is a north-south route from the junction of the Wycombe Road/Little Marlow Road/Rookery Gardens routes to access the station, industrial estate and the various leisure and river areas to the south. The obvious route is down Glade Road. Although this perhaps does not meet the ‘quiet road’ criterion, it is such an obvious route that it is likely to be used quite heavily whether or not it is signed. The challenge therefore is to see if this route can be made more cyclist friendly, such that it becomes an integral part of the network. This route would also serve the community facilities adjacent to the Hospital.
Station Road Whilst accepting that the narrow section of Station Road between Mill Road and Glade Road probably also does not meet the ‘quiet road’ criterion, it has to be recognised that this represents a gap in the direct route from the west of the town to its station and business areas. It will therefore be used by cyclists utilising other parts of the network, thereby questioning whether anything can be done to improve the route for cyclists.
Oxford Road/Quoiting Square/Riley Road/M4 site We feel it will be necessary to provide cycle racks somewhere in this area to meet the demands of cyclists that do not wish to go further into the town. It seems inevitable therefore that the southern part of Oxford Road will become a de facto cycle route, whether or not it is sign posted as such. The Society strongly advocates the redesign of Quoiting Square as part of the restoration of historic parts of the town.
Future Developments:
Portlands and Malthouse Way/Link Road The Waitrose permeability proposals for developing the Portlands site included an access from West Street into the Portlands site via the ‘Blockbuster’ arch, for which it was claimed they had a right of access. The latter is just opposite Town Lane which could then provide a future route from Riley Road via Portlands to the west side of the High Street. Similarly, the eventual extension of Malt House Way through the Portlands site to West Street (The Link Road) would provide a valuable cycle route from the north-west of the town to Court Garden and the other riverside leisure facilities. Future development planning of these areas should take these potential cycling links into account.
Town to Countryside links:
Links to Little Marlow Gravel Pits Countryside Park area The Marlow Society is a member of the LMGP Community Partnership and supports the opening up of more pedestrian and cycle routes from Marlow into the Gravel Pits area. The Community Partnership is currently exploring with Buckinghamshire County Council and landowners a number of possibilities for creating circular access routes throughout the area. This covers upgrading a number of public footpaths to cycle path status and the permissive public use of other routes. The development of the Marlow town cycle network should be co-ordinated with those initiatives. The proposal to add cycle ramps to the Volvo bridge is a highly desirable improvement. The ‘orange’ route shown on the consultation document to the south of the railway line is the first part of a Sustran proposal that continues to Spade Oak Wharf. We support this strategic route in principle, subject to detailed evaluation of biodiversity and other impacts. Until that route is completed, the section to the north of the rugby fields leads nowhere, unless it is to provide access to the WDC Thames-side picnic area to the south and/or to the Thames Path. If this is the intention, cycle racks in this area would be beneficial.
Marlow to Little Marlow Consideration should be given to upgrading the footpath on the south side of the A 4155, from the access road leading to Westhorpe Farm to the fire station to shared use status. This would facilitate cycle access to the Parkway route described above and to/from the Westhorpe Farm and Westhorpe Park Homes settlements. It could also facilitate future circular cycle route development within the Gravel Pits area, as proposed in Supplementary Planning Guidance for the area. The possibility of refuge to aid crossing the A4155 in this area should be considered.
Link to Danesfield School Some Marlow parents have raised with the Society the need for a cycle route from the town to Danesfield School at Medmenham. Investigation of possible options seems desirable.
A4155/A404 roundabout The low height of the parapet safety fences over the A404 bridges means that cyclists have to demount or take to the road to cross the roundabout. The sponsoring councils should request that the Highways Agency raises the height of the parapets so that cyclists on shared use pavements either side of the roundabout do not have to dismount.
CYCLE PARKING
Above we have suggested that there is a need for more cycle racks in the High Street, but that there is a need also to find locations just outside the main shopping streets, so that cyclists not wishing to ride on these busy streets can ‘park and walk’ short distances to them.. To meet our ‘critical mass’ criterion, cycle racks should be supplied in ample quantity, but located and designed both sensitively, to respect the quality of the street scene, and sensibly, from a security point of view. Locations should ideally be covered by CCTV surveillance. Key areas for cycle rack locations are:

In the High Street close to the end of Institute Road (where there are already four racks).
In the Causeway, possibly replacing one or more car parking space. A consideration here is the impact on the space used for the farmers market. Another is to provide parking for cyclists arriving from the Bisham direction.
Close to the new public toilets in the corner of Higginson Park.
In the Court Garden car park.
In Quoiting Square, but keeping in mind the point made above about the restoration of this area. Alternatively – West Street car park.
Close to Riley Road toilets. (The Society has advocated the redesign of this south-east corner of the M4 site as part of a comprehensive M4 design brief).
In Riley Road/Town Lane area to serve West Street and the current Waitrose supermarket site.
In Dean Street car park.
Close to Liston Hall.
At the southern end of Liston Road. The brick paved area (private land - ?) adjacent to the entrance to Liston Court would be ideal.
On council owned property adjacent to the Liston Court gardens and at the end of the Cromwell Gardens cycle route. (Note: We would prefer for cycling not to be permitted through Liston Court to the High Street as this is a quiet, attractive and constrained pedestrian area.).
Increased provision to serve the Library (Could safe cycle access from the Cromwell Gardens route into the rear of the Library site be negotiated?)
At or by leisure facility sites in the town.
In future – by one of the accesses from the Portlands site into the High Street.

FUTURE CONSULTATION The Marlow Society would welcome the opportunity to discuss its above proposals and other proposals arising from the consultation with the sponsoring authorities and to be fully informed and consulted about any proposed implementation proposals that follow.

MARLOW SOCIETYJune 2008