Representation by Cycling Opportunities Group for Salisbury (COGS) (Cycling Opportunities Group for Salisbury (COGS))
- Date submitted
- 8 January 2019
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
To ensure that the needs of non-motorised users (NMUs) are considered both on the route of the A303 and the wider area, and appropriate measures implemented in accordance with HE Cycling Strategy and national planning policy.
The Highways England Cycling Strategy (2016) states (p1) that “our planned road improvements programme will provide integrated schemes which improve cycling facilities” and “ cycling facilities which are safe, separate from traffic and that enable users of all abilities to cycle, encouraging cycling as a sustainable means of transport”. The opportunity offered by improvements to the A303 must be taken and include cycling in the design from the outset. The Strategy further states that Partnership Working is a key guiding principle. We at COGS will be happy to assist in fulfilling the delivery of the cycling vision as a partner and stakeholder to “identify and support the delivery of cycling facilities”.
Transport Focus has summarised the priorities for Highways England’s network for cyclists, pedestrians and equestrians (January 2017). The interests of these three groups of vulnerable road users largely coincide in that they need safe, direct and convenient routes along and across major roads and that “they want provision incorporated for them at the outset of scheme design, rather than fighting for adaptations later”. The network “can be a barrier to making journeys, severing links between communities, places of work and routes such as the National Cycle Network (NCN)”.
We support the provision of a properly-surfaced all weather path across the World Heritage Site on the alignment of the existing A303 that will reconnect Amesbury and Salisbury with Stonehenge and settlements to the west. It is encouraging to see the sympathetic treatment given to Public Rights of Way in the western section where severance is limited by providing Green bridges 1, 2 and 3. Also welcome is the provision of a byway on either side of the dual carriageway to the west of Winterbourne Stoke. The surfaces are key to encouraging their use by NMUs.
However, we have some concerns about plans for the eastern section where severance issues have been solved by lengthening potential north-south commuting journeys by bicycle by 3-5km. The piecemeal nature of facilities for NMUs illustrates clearly what happens when these are added as an afterthought rather than being included in the design phase of a scheme. The contrast with the western section is indeed stark where the small community of Winterbourne Stoke is given some safe, direct and convenient facilities for NMUs, whereas connections for Amesbury, both north-south and east-west, are for the most part indirect and sub-standard. Amesbury, Bulford and Durrington are growing communities and deserve a coherent, convenient and safe network of walking, cycle and equestrian routes to serve their populations.