New Malden to Kingston route & Fountain Roundabout

The Mini Holland route, dealing with the Fountains roundabout, a major obstacle to cycling, with safe protected space for people on bikes, along Cambridge Road and Kingston Road, linking Kingston and New Malden town centres.

Mini Holland proposals, (Go Cycle)

These consultations have now closed

The Kingston Cycle Campaign broadly welcomes the latest Mini Holland proposals, (Go Cycle) the Council seem to have limited the amount of ‘shared Space’, which we welcome, but all 3 Schemes would benefit  from more Cycle parking, especially near Shops. The Consultations can be found at www.kingston.gov.uk/consultations , or follow the link in each of the Paragraphs below.The closing date is 17 November.

Kingston to Kingston Vale There is still possible conflict with parked cars in Old London Road. It would help if the car parking was reduced in this area. The ‘two-way cycle track’, from the Queen Elizabeth Road junction to Cambridge Road, continuing to the roundabout junction with Park Road and Kingston Hill,  looks promising. The route continues on Kingston Hill with a segregated cycle lane on both sides. Apart from some small sections of shared space, there does need to be provision for a segregated crossing for cyclists who wish to turn right from Galsworthy Road onto Kingston Hill, or vice-versa. The link for this individual scheme is http://consult.kingston.gov.uk/portal/planning/go/go_cycle_october_2016/gckv

Kingston to New Malden The crossing from the two-way cycle track on London Road, to continue along Cambridge Road, looks promising. The junction with Chatham Road and Hawks Road will need careful design to minimise conflict with pedestrians. And to keep the existing link between Chatham Road and Hawks Road a viable option, there needs to be full segregation under the rail bridge near South Lane West. If Cyclists do have to use ‘shared space’ where delivery vehicles are parked, there needs to be clear signage. The link for this scheme is http://consult.kingston.gov.uk/portal/planning/go/go_cycle_october_2016/gcnm.

Kingston to Tolworth The two-way cycle track along Penrhyn Road as far as Grove Crescent looks promising, continuing with seperate cycle lanes either side of the road. St Marks Hill will need a crossing for cyclists who wish to access Hollyfield School, also those who wish to access King Charles Road and other routes from Lamberts Road. The design of the ‘central cycle lane’ along Ewell Road needs to ensure that there are no conflicting traffic movements where car traffic wants to turn right across the cycle path, it might be better to continue the ‘two-way cycle track’ at the side of the carriageway, then join up with the ‘Greenway’ at the junction with the Broadway. The link for this scheme is http://consult.kingston.gov.uk/portal/planning/go/go_cycle_october_2016/gct

All three schemes should be supported. We urge everyone to go to the www.kingston.gov.uk/consultations page and fill out the seperate consultation for each of the three schemes. You can find more of our thoughts at http://kingston.cyclescape.org/threads , the Consultations close on 17 November.

Suggested response to Mini Holland Consultations July 2016

Kingston Council have four consultations open until 18 July 2016 on their Go Cycle or Go Programme (previously Mini Holland).

http://consult.kingston.gov.uk/portal/planning/go/consultations_summer_2016/

The schemes need real improvement. So please complete all four and call for the routes to be completed and cycles to be separated from both motors and pedestrians.

These are our brief suggested responses which please feel free to use as the basis for your own responses. Do complete the “comments” sections – the questions asked are closed and will not allow you to seek what cyclists really want.
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Mini Holland Consultations

Kingston Council have four Consultations open until 18 July 2016 on proposed Go Cycle or Go Programme (their branding for Mini Holland) cycle routes.

  • Kingston Station
  • Wheatfield Way
  • Kingston to Surbiton
  • Fountain Roundabout, New Malden (below)

Fountain Roundabout proposed layout

You can access the consultations here;

http://consult.kingston.gov.uk/portal/planning/go/consultations_summer_2016/

Please complete all four and call for fully protected space for cycling separate from both motor traffic and pedestrians. Our initial view is that the proposals are disappointing. Mini Holland and the Mayor’s Cycling Vision for London were intended to be transformational. Kingston’s proposals have a lot of space shared by pedestrians and cyclists, creating conflict for both. Junctions which are challenging for inexperienced cyclists are sometimes ignored.

There are some promising features such as segregated cycle tracks, but the schemes need real improvement if they are to work. We managed to get the Council to improve Portsmouth Road so please let’s get these schemes improved by completing the consultation.

Our detailed discussion of all 4 schemes is publicly available on Cyclescape.org;

http://kingston.cyclescape.org/

Please feel free to contribute.

 

Bike ride with Mini Holland Committee Chair

KCC discuss Fountains Roundabout with Cllr Terry Paton

KCC discuss Fountains Roundabout with Cllr Terry Paton

On a dull Friday morning in December three campaigners from Kingston Cyclists met with Cllr Terry Paton at the Fountain roundabout in New Malden. Terry is Chair of the ‘Residents Committee’, the Kingston Council body responsible for the Mini Holland, or Go Cycle, Schemes. He is aware of our concerns about the very slow progress RBK has made with this once-in-a-generation opportunity to improve provision for cycling, ameliorate air quality, and reduce traffic congestion.

We discussed the Fountain roundabout. At present it is a major barrier to safe 8 to 80 bike riding for all. Our preference would be for a Dutch style roundabout and we have argued for that. We understand that is only one of several options the Council are considering; all options will make it safer for cycling and more pleasant for locals.
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