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Change at WSCC on Highways and Transport

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.

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

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

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!

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.

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

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.'

WSCC axes showcase scheme in Shoreham

Cllr Roger Elkins, Cabinet Member for Highways, despite a 6-2 vote for him to reconsider at the Scrutiny Committee meeting of 18 November 2020, has stuck to his decision to remove the Shoreham 'pop up' scheme that was funded by Government money.  That means that all West Sussex has to show for the award of £781K is a few white lines and a bit of cutting back on the only scheme not be removed - Chichester/Bognor. That one can't be removed because it has been there for years and the work was maintenance that should be regularly done by WSCC!

Emergency Active Travel Fund Tranche 1: The WSCF position

This has been sent to all West Sussex County Councillors​​​​​ and relevant Officers at WSCC

SUMMARY  

The WSCF deplores the decision by the Cabinet Member for Highways at WSCC to remove all but one of the 7 so called pop up cycle lanes.  While acknowledging that the process was flawed, with very challenging deadlines, we believe that many of the problems were avoidable.   Experience from Tranche 1 must not only inform delivery of Tranche 2, but also trigger a review of how all walking and cycling schemes are delivered in future.   

WSCC decides to remove all but one of the pop up lanes.

All but one of the seven pop lanes are to be removed. These are in the so called Tranche 1 - £781,000.   The one scheme that remains is the already exisiting Chichester / Bognor route.  WSCC were awarded £185,000 and they have spent that on a bit of cutting back and a few white lines.  In other words - normal maintainence.  Roger Elkins has made the decision at the six week review period.  It seems that pressure came from people who disliked seeing bicycles taking their space, and not seeing 'enough cycles'.

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