New Event – Sunday 22 July 2018 – Mark’s Birthday Bicycle Ride

By on 25 June, 2018   /   latest news  

Help Mark celebrate his 70th birthday by riding his exceptionally beautiful Bicycle Icycle route in summer conditions, followed by a BBQ. No entry fee or tedious entry form. Ride as a group (or not if you prefer). Take a shortcut if necessary. Or just ride to Quarry Manor from your preferred starting point. All West Surrey CTC members welcome!

If you’ve never ridden the Bicycle Icycle, there are some hills but the final little brutes can be easily avoided. (Peel off right, once you’ve crossed the A281 at Bramley, up Iron Lane. Then head for Godalming.) There are several refreshment options on the route at Peaslake, Shere and Shamley Green.

The Essentials:

– Ride starts at 9.30am from 4 Quarry Hill, Godalming GU7 2NW and finishes there.

– If driving to start, please park somewhere at the top of the hill.

– Both the route sheet and GPX track are on the Events page of our website – see 18 March event. Route sheet also available at start.

– Refreshments at the finish will commence at around 2pm.

– Please bring something along to eat, be it cake or sausages or whatever. Leave it in my fridge while you ride. Basic snacks / nibbles / biscuits and salads provided.

– Tea / coffee / beer / wine / juice provided.

RSVP! Please advise Mark if you will be coming for the ride, the BBQ – or both (preferably by email)

Please contact Mark with any queries.

Mark Waters

4 Quarry Hill, Godalming GU7 2NW

Tel 01483 414307 / 07732 520819

markw48@gmail.com

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Midweek Wayfarers Ride 27 June

By on 20 June, 2018   /   latest news  

CHANGE OF START LOCATION

Please note that the start point for next Wednesday’s ride has been changed, it will now start from Albury Heath car park, GU5 9DB, map ref TQ 058469. and NOT Chinthurst Hill car park.  This is due to road works in the area causing congestion.  Pete Hathaway will be sending out the route in the next few days.

 

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Pot Holes – we love em…or do we?

By on 15 June, 2018   /   Blog posts  

 

The Road Repair Fund is based on miles of road with no account of usage.  Surrey’s roads have more traffic than most counties with Guildford town only exceeded by some large cities.

A Fairer Funding Formula will  increase Surrey road repair and up-keep budget.

If we want pot holes fixed, sign https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/217930

Report Pot Holes:

Use https://www.surreycc.gov.uk/do-it-online/report-it-online to report Pot Holes in Surrey.

The Surrey County Council (SCC) page indicates if the pothole has already been reported and if its repair is scheduled.

Other reporting systems currently do not interface to the SCC system following a change in the SCC system. We have requested SCC investigate and report back, as there are many systems in use including the CUK/CTC  “Fill That Hole” app and the Surrey Police web page; Google “surrey pothole reporting”.  If you report it, there is more chance it will get fixed, and the SCC Cabinet Member for Highways has agreed to prioritise potholes that affect cyclists.

https://www.surreycc.gov.uk/your-council/complaints-comments-and-compliments/insurance-claims-against-the-council/highways-insurance-claims if you or your cycle suffers due to an unmaintained highway.  If the defect has been reported, the claim will be taken more seriously.

Pat Daffarn

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G-BUG latest news about Guildford to Godalming cycle route

By on 14 June, 2018   /   Blog posts  

Success – Guildford Godalming off road all weather cycle and footpath plan from GCC & G-BUG adopted by Surrey County Council & Guildford Borough Council

Yesterday, after 74 miles on John Child’s excellent Wednesday ride, Pat (WSCTC & G-BUG)  joined Nigel Burke (G-BUG), Martyn Sandford and two fellow Godalming Cycle Campaign members in the Guildford Council Chambers for a well-attended joint SCC & GBC meeting.

See item 10, page 19 for details of the presented documentation and path .

Becky Willson (Transport Planner Cycling Surrey County Council) proposed to adopt the Guildford to Godalming Greenway into the Guildford Borough Cycle Plan , and it was accepted nem con. Indeed, all the Councillors who spoke were very supportive, and praised the thoroughness of the documentation initiated by Martyn from GCC. The Councillors main concern was perhaps the danger of raising expectations beyond what could be funded, but Becky said that by dividing it into sections they hoped to be able to secure funding piece by piece (eg Dunsfold 106 money).The importance of lighting was stressed for away-from-road sections, in order that children would feel safe using it to go to school in winter. Becky said that modern LED lighting offered economic solutions eg for Dagley Lane.

The stretch into Guildford Town Centre was judged to be very important but the proposed option in front of Debenhams might be difficult to implement: Cllr Nils Christiansen (GBC, Holy Trinity) suggested “what about replacing the Rowing Club footbridge so that people could cycle over it and  come in along Millmead”. (hallelujah!)

Need link via towpath with new Walnut Bridge.

Ties in with proposals for a ‘Park and Cycle’ car park at Shalford/Stonebridge Wharf.

The aim is for an all-year all-weather sealed surface suitable for all bikes, prams etc.

Councillors  said “We need more routes like this.” (thought: what about an Ash-Guildford greenway, based on improving the Christmas Pie Trail?)

So, good news, for once. It really was good to have an influential political forum like this discussing a cycling proposal in such a positive way, none of the usual anti-cycling gripes. The tone was ‘we must make this happen’ rather than ‘how can we stop it’.

Congratulations to Martyn and his team, and Becky for taking it forward. There is still a long way to go, but it is great to have cleared this essential political hurdle.

 

The original pre submission to SCC and GBC are:

  1. An Executive Summary
  2. The Proposal (i.e. details of the spine and its side links)
  3. The Alternative Routes (i.e. routes we assessed and parked in favour of the final proposal)
  4. An Index to the Maps

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/15qq2wugfz7e4yz/AABLSHYZO-XOXTt-LQrRVY3Va?dl=0

Pat Daffarn

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