Bread Pudding ride to Harlesden

Sunday 26th April

A chilly overcast, but dry day saw 17 Cyclists leave via Skerne Rd, tow-path to Ham, Aerospace estate, Ham, Ham gate of Richmond park to Richmond gate, Kew Rd, Kew bridge, Brentford, where a minor saddle slippage was rectified, South Ealing, West Ealing, Pitshanger park, Perivale where Derek suffered a major wheel problem, caused him to abandon the ride, but the remainder found the Grand union canal tow-path to Harlesden for lunch at ‘the Grand Junction Arms’. Afterwards, more tow-path to Ladbroke Grove, North Kensington, under the Westway, (thanks to Nick for that link), Shepherds bush, Brook Green, Barons Court, Fulham to Bishops park for Tea & BP, then Putney Bridge, Putney, Barnes common, Roehampton gate of Richmond park, to Kingston gate, to Market place. Total 32 Miles, 6 new faces.

Map :- http://www.plotaroute.com/route/60502

Bread Pudding ride to Horsell Common

Sunday 12th April – A dry day with a very strong South-Westerly wind, saw 20 Cyclists heading straight into the wind via Portsmouth Rd, Giggs hill green, Weston green, Esher, Walton on Thames, Weybridge, Brooklands country park, Byfleet, Wey navigation towpath, Basingstoke canal towpath, Sheerwater to Horsell Common for lunch at a very welcoming ‘Plough’. Afterwards, Horsell common, Anthony’s, Ottershaw, Addlestone, Weybridge, Thames towpath to Walton bridge for Tea & BP at ‘Gino’s’, with a seemingly redundant new building, then more Towpath to Hampton Court, Thames Ditton & Portsmouth Rd to Kingston. Total 35 Miles, 2 new faces.
Map :- http://www.trimbleoutdoors.com/ViewTrip/2940656

Mini Holland New Malden Raynes Park link

The next Mini Holland project, following Portsmouth Road, from RBK, is a connection between New Malden and Raynes Park; a new walking and cycling route. It will run alongside the railway on Thames Water supply pipes and go under the A3 dual carriageway. The new route is planned to open up an area of valuable green space for all ages to enjoy, cycle, walk, learn and relax; making it quick and easy to travel on a traffic free route between the two town centres in a way that has not previously been possible.

The long term plan, perhaps aspiration, at present, is that this route will link with the planned Transport for London Quietway from Waterloo to Clapham and on to Wimbledon which will extend to Raynes Park. It is not yet clear what route the Quietway will take nor, as far as we are aware, has funding been made available.

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2 part Bread Pudding Ride to Molesey and Wimbledon Common

Sunday 22nd March.
Part 1
A mostly bright but chilly day saw 19 Cyclists leave via Lower Marsh, Berrylands, Tolworth greenway, Hogsmill path, Bonesgate path, Chessington, Barwell, Claygate, Littleworth common, Esher to Molesey for lunch at ‘the Bell, then Sumner Rd, Thames Ditton, Portsmouth Rd to Kingston. Sub total 14 Miles, 4 new faces.
Part 2
Farewell to 9, with 4 fresh faces, so 14 Cyclists, via Lower Ham Rd, Aerospace estate, Ham, Ham gate of Richmond park, to Roehampton gate, Roehampton, Putney heath to Wimbledon common for Tea & BP at the Windmill tearooms, then Crooked Billet, Copse hill, Malden golf course, New Malden, Norbiton to Kingston. Subtotal 15 Miles, Total 29 Miles.

Map :-www.trimbleoutdoors.com/ViewTrip/2923736

Mini Holland Portsmouth Road Revised Proposals

We welcome the revised proposals for the Portsmouth Road mini Holland scheme which have been published by the Royal Borough of Kingston, today, Monday 16 March 2015;

http://www.kingston.gov.uk/downloads/file/1212/portsmouth_road_revised_scheme

These proposals are a considerable improvement on the original proposals. We will be seeking further assurances about the design but, in the round, we support it.

The northern part of the route is a two way cycle track on the river side of Portsmouth Road. This has some impressive features; fully protected space, floating bus stops, refuges for turning cyclists, possibly crossings which can detect bicycles and a well thought out link to Surbiton via Palace Road. It will be valuable for family and novice riders, particularly if it joins the Boardway link along the Thames. It is a reversion to the original design in the bid document which featured such a two way track and is certainly better than the “white paint” in the original proposal in February.

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Bread pudding ride to Peckham

Sunday 8th March
A mostly bright morning, with more Clouds later, saw 22 Cyclists leave via Fairfield, Coombe, New Malden, Malden golf course, Copse hill, Wimbledon village, Wimbledon park, Earlsfield, Wandsworth common, Clapham common, Clapham, Kennington, Burgess park, where the option to sign the Petition in favour of keeping the Subway open was taken, then the Peckham Canal path to Peckham for lunch at the ‘Kentish Drovers’. Afterwards, via Camberwell grove, pausing briefly to observe a very shame faced motorist with a very awkward predicament, Dulwich, Brockwell park, Tulse hill, Streatham hill, to Tooting Bec common for Tea & BP, then Tooting, Mitcham, Morden hall park, Merton park, Bushey mead, Raynes park, Motspur park, New Malden, Berrylands, to Kingston. Total 33 Miles, 6 new faces.
Map :-

Bread Pudding ride to Little Venice

Sunday 22nd February,

A mostly bright morning saw 15 Cyclists leave via Canbury Gardens, Tow-path to Ham, Aerospace estate, Ham, Ham gate of Richmond park, Roehampton gate, Barnes common, Putney, Putney Bridge, Fulham, Parsons green, Brompton Cemetery, West Kensington, Kensington gardens, Hyde park, Paddington Basin to Little Venice for lunch at ‘the Warwick Castle’.Afterwards, with increasing threats of Rain which were soon delivered along with a very cold head wind, along the Grand union Canal to Park Royal, West Acton, North Ealing, Ealing Common to Gunnersbury park, With Iyad suffering a fall resulting in a few Bruises just before the Tea stop with BP, then more Gunnersbury park, Kew Bridge, Kew Rd, Richmond, Richmond park, to Kingston gate and Kingston. Total 31 Miles, 3 new faces.
Map :-

Little Venice Route Map

KCC Responds to Kingston’s Mini-Holland Proposal

· The Kingston Cycling Campaign strongly objects to the design of the scheme set out in the consultation documents.

· This is Kingston’s first Mini Holland scheme; it is important to set a satisfactory standard and precedent for later schemes.

· We believe that full segregation, (protected space), can be provided along the length of this route. Connections with facilities to the north and the south need to be designed at the same time to ensure continuity.

· In the bid document it was stated this road was to get a fully segregated two way cycle track for about half its length and the remainder was to be semi- segregated. Around 70 to 80% of the carriageway length is proposed to have no protected space for cycling, rather there will be Mandatory Cycle Lanes (“white paint” as people call it).

· The proposal may be of some limited value to existing cyclists but will do very little to encourage non-cyclists, or the hesitant, to use bicycles; which is the objective of the mini-Holland programme.

· It is not the dramatic or step change in cycling provision which the mini- Holland schemes are intended to achieve, as in the Mayor’s Cycling Vision for London.

· We met with Councillors from the Administration and without giving any promises they said they would speak to Officers about increasing segregated provision. We welcome this.

· We do not want this fantastic opportunity for our Borough to be wasted and we are confident that if aspects of the scheme are redesigned to incorporate protected space along the entirety of this short route it will prove an outstanding achievement for Kingston.

Portsmouth Road response Final v1

Meeting to discuss Mini Holland proposals

Our next meeting is on Tuesday 10 March 2015 at 8pm at the Richard Mayo Centre, Eden Street, Kingston on Thames KT1 1HZ http://mayocentre.org.uk/. We hope to discuss the revised Portsmouth Road Mini Holland proposals and feedback from the Sustrans workshop on the New Malden to Raynes Park Mini Holland Link. If you cycle, or would like to cycle, in Kingston please join us.