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Southampton Cycle Forum Minutes - 8 January 2019

Date: 8th January                                                                 

Time: 6.30pm

Location: Southampton City Council, Committee Room 1

Attending: Cllr Eamonn Keogh, SCC; Hannah Chivers, SCC; Su White, Cycle Campaign; Hugh Davis, Cycle Campaign; Jim Probert, CTC; Federick Molyneux; Lyn Brayshaw, Cycle Campaign; Jon Bingham, Cycle Campaign; Lindsi Bluemel, Cycle Campaign; Colin MacQueen, Clean Air Southampton; Ruth Miller, British Cycling; Ruth Magennis, Cycling UK, Niall Dickins, Southampton University student, Tim Wakely.

Apologies: Liz Batten, Clean Air Southampton.

Review of last mins

  • Could John Savage help with pointing out the developments that are upcoming in the planning committee that would be relevant regarding cycling access etc.? Action for Ruth

  • Greg responded that the transport team would meet with developers as there may be paths or access that they want from them. This is when the transport will provide feedback on development proposals.

  • One issue is that sometimes people miss the updates about the cycle hub meetings, and perhaps more representatives of the Cycle Forum need to be on the contact list, especially if the development is one that they are following or live close by to.

Let’s Ride Update – Ruth Miller, British Cycling

  • What does the 2019 event look like? Focusing on localisation, giving it a Southampton specific focus in all the branding and advertising.

  • Building on inclusion – all ability cycling is still going to be included as an activity. The question asked when plotting out a route is whether a 4-year-old would be able to cycle round the route.

  • Current options for the route are to focus either on St Mary’s or Weston Bridge/Weston Shore.

  • Let’s Ride Pop Up events – once a month in run up to the event – hopefully to start in March or April.

  • Volunteer engagement and sign up in March – if you would like to volunteer – what is the process? Volunteer link for registering your interest in helping with the Let’s Ride event as a marshal, ride support etc.

  • Could we have more emphasis on things for kids/people to do?

  • Regular meetings will be set up with the MJ team, so any questions can be directed through the cycle forum if they want to learn more.

  • Places to Ride - Funding option is now open with British Cycling for specific recreational areas, funding opened in November 2018 – go to for more info.

Love to Ride September update – Hannah Chivers, Southampton City Council

  • Figure updates for September – highlighted the number of new riders.

  • 531 people took part in the campaign and recorded rides – of these, 66 were new riders and 91 were occasional riders.

  • Did evaluation of the data through collaboration with the university.

  • Improved infrastructure was the main takeaway of the survey - but participants also talked about secure storage.

  • My Journey will be launching the Move in March campaign to encourage walking and cycling - – action for Ruth to share with forum.

  • Ride Report as an interface app because then the council gets that location data which helps to inform the routes that people typically take around the city.

  • Hannah has meeting with Love to Ride next week - she has raised some usability issues e.g. not automatically linking with Apple Health, app won’t work too well without GPS trackability etc.

  • Love to Ride are looking for a project manager, closing date 21st Jan.

  • Need to think about the people we are not collecting data on, who don’t have expensive phones or app - SeeSense is an option for tracking people – smart lights, could use them to track a specific demographic. BC is looking at developing a project in Manchester.

Update on Metamorphosis Project

  • This is an EU funded project that aims to improve the streets to make them friendlier to children – this has been running in Southampton as part of the Sholing Child Friendly Streets project.

  • Sholing Quietways infrastructure scheme will tie into this project – this is a pilot scheme that, if successful, will be replicated in other parts of the city.

  • Question to the forum – should we invite the project officer to the next meeting to update us on the completion of the project and lessons learnt?

Infrastructure updates – Greg Churcher, Southampton City Council

  • French St – bollards are in place and in use during school drop off/pick up times.

  • Stoneham Lane – looking to widen the Wide Lane path?

  • Second Avenue – main bulk of the segregated work is finished. Waiting for better weather to complete the side road treatment.

  • Millbrook Road East – work started today on quiet ways throughout Millbrook Road East. Works includes modal filters allowing pedestrians and cyclists to travel length of Millbrook Road East and side road treatment.

  • Inner Avenue – one-way segregated route north bound and segregated route south bound after shared pathway. Will be a toucan crossing at top of Dorset St where the subway currently is.

  • Resurfacing will take place where the bus lane is – bus lane will get shifted along. Existing shared pathway will remain.

  • Cycle minor works – Central Station South – formalising a cycle route by Asda – A plan will be shared with cycle forum once available. The creation of shared use footways / footpaths will also be advertised through traffic regulation order (TRO) process.

  • Advertising TRO to regarding Kingsbridge Lane becoming shared use – GC will feedback the outcome once known.

  • Kingsbridge Lane would be a better route to improve but if that can’t be, then the West Park Pathway is a good alternative – this is an area that needs attention in a broader walking and cycling strategies for the city.

  • Signage will be implemented in quiet ways as they are less formalised. Awaiting signage strategy and will return to previous schemes to sign also in 2019.

  • Harbour Parade – need a refresh of what was done there and to make the right of way clearer.

  • Would a cycle bridge across the railway be feasible? Funding opportunities coming up that might be beneficial but at the moment the costs are still too prohibitive to include this in a scheme at the moment.

  • Sholing Quietways – widening of pathways that are busier that people can cycle to, leads to quiet roads where there are few cars, and then leading to the Bursledon Road shared pathway scheme.

  • Quay side Road – Bitterne Precinct. Question was posed to Greg - can we remove the ‘no cycling’ sign the runs along past Iceland on the precinct? Greg stated it would need to re advertise the TRO which I believe has gone out. Expecting an objection as before but will meet with objector to discuss and hopefully find a way forward.

  • Bursledon Road – a design is now available and awaiting sign off to progress first phases to delivery. Wade is lead for this scheme if any questions.

  • Firgrove Road – proposal to make it no entry to motor vehicles but still allow cyclists to pass.

  • Bitterne Park Triangle – looking to progress the (less controversial!) proposal. The middle crossing is still problematic so going ahead with most of the proposal, minus the right turn option.

  • Question - were the results of the road closure fed back to the team? Greg answered that yes, it was and there was also a proposal for a crossing that grew from this closure consultation however road is not wide enough for a refuge island.

  • Transforming Cities update – awaiting announcement from DfT to say if SCC has been awarded funding. Should know late February.

AOB:

Freddie – Frequently uses David Lloyd gym. Any linkages between them that can be created (down Frogmore Lane) in terms of outreach or working with workplaces team? Action – Ruth to follow up.

Catch-up meeting with Wade at 12pm Friday on 3rd Lane.

Soton CTC events – 12 May, Park to Park Audax. Wed 1st May 2019 – Gear Without Tears.

Hugh Davis gave update on working group on Cycling in the Common – end report suggested peaceful cohabitation with cycling and walkers – going to put together a code of practice from the recommendations – more signage, clearing the vegetation etc. Compensation? If they give up part of the common, it is justifiable if it is beneficial for another part of the common – so if they can improve a cycle pathway it’s because there is a beneficial impact on another part of the common. Greg has a copy so can send one to the group.

Saints Foundation – training rides, 9th Feb info evening. Ride Leader training in March and June.

Date of next meeting – 9th April