Bread pudding, Challenge ride to Leigh

Gatton Park, view

Sunday 13th May. a Cloudy morning, with some Sun later, saw 15 Cyclists leave via Lower Marsh, Berrylands, Tolworth greenway, West Ewell, Hogsmill path with added ‘fun runners’, St. Ebba’s path, Manor Park, Woodcote, Headley, Pebblecombe- with many of the group having the chance to do some Train spotting at the Level crossing-, Betchworth, to Leigh for lunch at the ever reliable Plough,- to find that 1 extra person had missed the start, taken an alternative route via Epsom, and saved the best table for the greater party, thanks Steve-, then Flanchford, Reigate, Wray Common, Gatton Park, Gatton, Chipstead, to Banstead for Tea & BP at Pistachios, Belmont, Sutton, North Cheam, Motspur park, New Malden, Berrylands, to Kingston. Total 41 Miles, thanks again to John E for back marking, & many others for marking corners, thanks to John D, back from his travels, for the Bread Pudding.

Map :-www.plotaroute.com/route/608752

Evening ride to Twickenham

Wednesday 25th April. A bright evening after a few earlier showers, and after much debate, saw 5 Cyclists leave via Kingston Bridge, Bushy Park, Hampton Hill, Fulwell, River Crane path, Twickenham, with the first option now closed & covered in Scaffolding, to the Royal Oak for refreshments, then Twickenham, town, Strawberry Hill, Teddington, Hampton Wick, Kingston Bridge. Total 11 Miles. Thanks to John for Back marking.

Map:- www.plotaroute.com/route/600254

Bread pudding ride to Harmondsworth

at the Shot Tower, Crane River Park

Sunday 22nd April. A bright Sunny morning, with increasing Cloud in the Afternoon, saw 20 Cyclists leave via Kingston Bridge, Hampton Wick, Teddington, Fulwell, River Crane path, Whitton, Hounslow heath, West Hounslow, Cranford, Harlington, Sipson to Harmonsworth – with the first choice Pub, the Five Bells having no food – The Crown more than filled the gap with very generous portions & very good service, then a short detour to visit the great Barn, (also known as the Cathedral of Middlesex), -with some of the group electing for an extra Tea stop-, then Harmondsworth Moor, Poyle, Stanwellmoor, Ashford,- including a new Cycle path along Town Lane-, Feltham, Hanworth, Hampton Hill to Bushy Park for Tea & BP at the ‘Pheasantry’, Hampton Wick & Kingston Bridge. Total 30 Miles, thanks to Bob for Back marking & Many others for marking corners, special thanks to Derek for the Bread pudding.

Map:- www.plotaroute.com/route/108975

Bread Pudding ride to Peckham

Brockwell Park

Sunday 8th April,a largely wet and grey day saw 20 Cyclists leave via Fairfield, Bonner Hill, Norbiton, New Malden, Malden Golf course, Copse Hill, Wimbledon village, Wimbledon Park, Earlsfield, – with a slipped Chain & A visit from the ‘P fairy’-, Wandsworth Common, Clapham Common, Larkhall, Oval, Kennington, Burgess Park, Surrey Canal Path to Peckham, for lunch at the ‘Kentish Drovers, then Camberwell, Dulwich, Brockwell Park, Tulse Hill, – with 1 of our party almost wiping the leader out-, ‘Streatham Hill, to Tooting Bec Common for Tea & BP, then Furzedown, Mitcham, Colliers Wood, Merton park, Cannon Hill, West Barnes Motspur Park, New Malden, Berrylands, to Kingston. Total 33 Miles, 4 new faces, thanks to Steve D for Back marking, & others for marking corners, thanks to Derek for the Bread pudding.

Map :-www.plotaroute.com/route/589560

Mini-Holland (Go Cycle) – April 2018 update

Since our last update in February, work has continued on four different Mini-Holland (Go Cycle) schemes in Kingston and Surbiton:

Wheatfield Way – following works on the pavements (moving streetlights away from the kerb), the central reservation is now starting to be dug up ready for further changes to the road. When finished, there should be a 3m wide two-way cycle track alongside the majority of Wheatfield Way from College Roundabout to the Rotunda. This should eventually link through to Surbiton and Tolworth.

Kingston Station – work on the paving outside the station continues but at a slower pace now work has finished in the carriageway. However, the main activity to be visible in April will be the removal of the shared pedestrian/cycle bridge over the one-way system at the junction of Wood Street and Kingsgate Road. This bridge was due to close today (3 April) and will be removed during the weekend of 14/15 April. Work will then be undertaken on the surrounding area, ready for a much wider bridge to be installed and opened. We understand that the new bridge will take at least six months to be ready so cyclists will be diverted to use Wood Street; Dolphin Street and Fife Road during this time (see this map for further details).

Maker:S,Date:2017-9-22,Ver:6,Lens:Kan03,Act:Lar02,E-Y

Narrow shared bridge to be replaced

Kingston Vale ‘quietway’ – work on amending the modal filters (preventing motor traffic from going in both directions but allowing cyclists through) has continued. We await construction on the main Kingston Vale route which will hopefully follow later this year.

Surbiton links – work on these is almost complete. This includes the segregated path on St Marks Hill (heading up the hill); the segregated two-way path on Claremont Road (from Maple Road to The Crescent) and minor works on Avenue Elmers and The Crescent. One of the final major works was the Maple Road/Claremont Road/Surbiton Crescent junction. The new traffic signals are now switched on at this junction allowing cyclists to use each of the crossings on all arms of the junction. Shared space surrounds each corner of the junction allowing cyclists to access the other Surbiton ‘links’ (Avenue Elmers; Surbiton Crescent; and Claremont Road track). Resurfacing of the junction and adding line markings and signage should be completed during April.

Upgraded Maple Road/Claremont Road/Surbiton Crescent junction

Finally, more and more cycle specific signage is being installed as route sections are completed. To ensure the routes will be identifiable; clearly marked; and easily understood, the Council have worked with Transport for London (TfL) to apply the ‘Quietway’ signage to the routes so far. Quietway 19 is being used for Portsmouth Road and Quietway 20 has been used so far for the Surbiton ‘links’. We expect that, when everything is finished, Quietway 20 will extend from Kingston all the way to Tolworth. We hope TfL will be adding these to their Quietways pages soon to help cyclists find these routes.

Quietway signage

We continue to work with Kingston Council to identify any issues with proposed designs as well as to feedback back any comments on routes constructed. If you have any comments that you would like to share with us, then please add them at the bottom of this page or contact us directly.

‘2 part’ Bread Pudding ride to Long Ditton

Littleworth Common/ Claygate

Sunday 18th March. Part 1, with 3 Cyclist’s having missed the information that part 1 had been cancelled, due to the freezing temperature, thanks to Derek for leading an impromptu ride around a somewhat Muddy Bushy Park, then Surbiton for lunch at ‘Wags & Tails’, then back to Kingston.

Part 2, farewell to 1 & welcoming 4 fresh, brave faces, with the Temperature just above 0deg C, so 6 Cyclists left via Kingston Bridge, Thames Towpath to Hampton Court, East Molesey, Esher, a ‘slippery’ Littleworth Common, Claygate, to Long Ditton for Tea & BP at Squires Garden centre, Long Ditton, Surbiton to Kingston. Total 12 Miles, thanks to John E for Back marking, thanks to a ‘Peddestrian’ John D for the Bread pudding.

Helpful hint: Anyone who suffers with Cold Toes or feet, try wrapping them in Tin foil, thanks to Ken for that.

Map:- www.plotaroute.com/route/578101

Part 1 ride cancelled

Sunday 18th March. After much deliberation, due to the return of Winter & predicted temperatures at 1 or 2 deg C, likely to mean Ice or Black Ice, we have decided to cancel the Morning ride tomorrow, I will have a look at the Forecast first thing tomorrow, so there is still the possibility of an Afternoon ride.

Bread Pudding ride to Northolt

Pitshanger Park

Sunday 4th March. A mostly cloudy day saw 16 Cyclists leave via Kingston Bridge,- with the tail end becoming briefly detached-, Bushy Park, Hampton, Fulwell, Crane River path, Whitton, Hounslow, Osterley, Osterley Park,- with a still largely Frozen Lake-, Norwood Green, Southall, Greenford, to Northolt for lunch at the Crown, (Sizzling Pubs), then Grand Union Canal Towpath, Horsenden Lane, Perivale, Pitshanger Park, Brentham, Hanger Hill, West Acton, Acton Park for Tea & BP, South Acton, Chiswick Park, Chiswick Green, Grove park, Chiswick Bridge, Mortlake, East Sheen, Sheen gate Richmond Park, Kingston gate to Kingston. Total 31 Miles, 1 new face, thanks to John D for the Bread Pudding, thanks to John E for Back marking, & many others for marking corners.

Map:- www.bikemap.net/en/route/3896491

Mini-Holland (Go Cycle) – how’s it going?

If you have been travelling around the borough recently, particularly around Kingston town centre, it will have been difficult for you to miss some of the recent progress on the mini-Holland (Go Cycle) schemes. We are pleased to see that 4 different schemes are currently in construction which means Kingston is catching up on some of the backlog of schemes that have been approved by the Council.

2017: a recap – what mini-Holland progress was made?

The new segregated cycle track heading up St Marks Hill in Surbiton opened.
A number of Mini-Holland schemes were approved by Kingston Council’s Resident’s Committee (including Kingston Vale; Penrhyn Road; New Malden to Raynes Park; and Kingston High Street)
Despite the Portsmouth Road scheme not yet fully linking all the way into Kingston town centre, Will Norman (the Mayor of London’s cycling and walking commissioner) recently announced that cycling has already doubled during the week (up 76-104%) and is up 59% on weekdays 7am-7pm.
Work commenced around Kingston Station.
Wheatfield Way – The first part of this scheme was partially constructed between the Rotunda and Wilko’s. The 2-way cycle path built is 3 metres wide and, although not quite as wide as some of the new Cycle Superhighways in central London, it is the same width as much of the successful Portsmouth Road scheme.

2018: what’s happened so far and what might happen in the rest of 2018?

Kingston Station – the construction around the station has been continuing and should be mostly complete by the end of 2018. Work will also hopefully start on the new cycle hub at the station.
Wheatfield Way – Work has already started on the rest of the route and we are hopeful this will be complete during 2018 which will finish the link between Kingston Station and College Roundabout. This will be open up a new North-South cycle route through Kingston’s centre with the route fully segregated from the road.
New segregated cycle track on Claremont Road, Surbiton
Surbiton links – work has been undertaken early this year to finish some of the Surbiton Mini-Holland links including on Claremont Road (see photo) and Surbiton Crescent. There is now work at the junction with Maple Road and Claremont Road to join the links together (including onto Avenue Elmers).
New Malden to Raynes Park – this received approval from the Residents Committee in November 2017 so, subject to Transport for London funding, we hope that work will start on this completely new segregated cycle and walking link in 2018. Kingston Cycle Campaign have campaigned strongly for this route – further information about our campaign can be found here: Raynes Park to New Malden petition.
Kingston Vale – this route will link the centre of Kingston through to the Robin Hood Junction on the A3, intersecting with some key destinations along the route including a number of shops; Kingston Hospital; Richmond Park and Kingston University’s Kingston Hill campus. This scheme was approved by the Residents Committee in June 2017 and work has started this year on Gordon Road and Canbury Park Road. We hope to see some spades in the ground on the main part of the route later in 2018 (again, this is likely to be subject to TfL funding!).

What will Kingston Cycling Campaign be doing in 2018 for Mini-Holland?

We hope to be able to continue to work with the council on the design of schemes to ensure that as many issues as possible are spotted and fixed before construction starts!
We will be keeping an eye on the implementation of schemes and make sure that they improve safety for all cyclists and encourage people to get on their bike.
We will continue to respond to any further consultations on Mini-Holland and will encourage the Council to push Transport for London to release the necessary money to implement the schemes already approved as soon as possible.

You can find more details about all the schemes from Kingston Council’s website by following the links above or going to: https://www.kingston.gov.uk/go

Bread Pudding ride to Ashtead

Ashtead Park

Sunday 18th February. A largely bright day saw 24 Cyclists leave via Portsmouth Rd track, Long Ditton, Hinchley Wood, Esher, Fairmile, Cobham, Downside, Bookham Common, (including the ‘Isle of Wight Pond’), Fetcham, Leatherhead, to Ashtead for lunch at a very hospitable ‘Woodman’, (Ember Inns), then Ashtead Park, Epsom, ‘the Nescot Path’, East Ewell, Nonsuch Park, Cheam, Worcester Park, to Lower Morden & the ‘Wyevale Garden centre’ for Tea & BP, Motspur Park,- where a broken down ‘Southwestern Railway’ train decided to play a little subterfuge on our leader & 1 other Cyclist, who elected to use the the rickety old Footbridge, only for the train to move off, & the Barriers raised, 😦 -, New Malden, Berrylands, to Kingston. Total 33 Miles, 1 new face, thanks again to John E for back marking & many others for marking corners, thanks to John D for the Bread Pudding.

Map:-www.plotaroute.com/route/312617