Cycling Safety

By on 7 August, 2018   /   Blog posts  

To all West Surrey CTC members
From the Committee

Many of you will be aware of a recent serious cycling accident on one of our Wednesday rides. Following this, a number of members asked the committee to consider three aspects: the prevention of accidents whilst riding in a group, making helmets compulsory and the importance of next of kin information.

Group Riding (safety on the road)

Group riding requires a higher level of concentration and consideration for fellow riders on the road. Some of our riders have had cycling safety training or have considerable peloton riding experience and offer to share this. The committee will therefore be arranging a number of events where riders can be briefed and then apply this coaching out on the road. We encourage members from all of our groups to attend these sessions even if you are an experienced rider. We will let you know about dates and venues as soon as possible.

Helmets

The accident involved a head strike on the road and the member involved was unconscious and concussed for a short period. Fortunately, a retired doctor and a nurse were in the group and provided immediate first aid. The helmet was damaged but there were no head injuries (as assessed following a precautionary scan). In the view of the doctor and witnesses, had the rider not been wearing a helmet the outcome may well have been quite different.

There have been calls for the committee to make the wearing of helmets compulsory on our organised rides as is the case with most other cycling organisations (but not Cycling UK). We are aware the issue is contentious and therefore the committee proposes to raise the matter for discussion and resolution at our forthcoming AGM.

In the meantime, the committee strongly recommends the wearing of helmets on any of our organised events and ride leaders will be asked to support and encourage this position.

ICE (in case of emergency – next of kin information)

Our Group Riding Guidelines stipulate that all riders must carry Next of Kin information on all rides. 

To encourage this the club fully subsidises the OneLife ID tag for members. If you have not yet taken up this offer please contact John Child before purchase.

Safe Riding

West Surrey CTC Committee

8 August 2018

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WSCTC Photo competition

By on 6 August, 2018   /   Blog posts, latest news  

West Surrey CTC photo competition.

Have you taken any dramatic or unusual cycling photos?

We are holding a competition for our regular cyclists to enter any photos they have taken, any cycling related theme is acceptable. We are looking for unusual pics with originality, humour or drama!

We will be announcing the winner at the AGM on October so all entries should be submitted by 30 September, there will be a prize!.

All entries will be posted on the website.

small print:

  • to be judged totally impartially by the Committee!
  • send entries to johnmchild@yahoo.co.uk
  • closing date Sep 30th 2018
  • open to our regular cycling members only
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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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