Cycling lane go-ahead
Cyclists will soon be able
enjoy a traffic-free ride as
plans for a Worthing to Goring
cycle route are set to go ahead.
The new route, a partnership
scheme by West Sussex County
Council and Worthing Borough
Council, will allow cyclists to bypass
traffic queues via special cycle
tracks.
The new improvements will take
place in two stages. The first stage,
costing £24,200, will introduce advisory cycle lanes and is due to
begin in spring this year.
County councillor Carmel Cain
hopes that stage two will start within a year. It involves cycle crossings
that clear a route from Worthing to
Goring.
The borough council will be
putting up 50 per cent of the
£50,000 estimated to pay for stage
two.
Mrs Cain said, "It is important
that we encourage people to use
bikes as their main form of trans-
port as often as possible.
"To attract youngsters onto their
bikes and keep them life-long
cyclists, we need to make sure we
have these types of schemes in
place."
The route will follow Goring
Road, passing George V Avenue,
then on to Lansdowne Road, and
ends at Shelley Road, allowing cyclists a safe passage into the heart
of the town.
Brakes will still be screeching, according to Worthing
cyclists, after hearing the first
stage of plans to enhance cycling
safety.
Cyclists support improvements to facilities, but are not
convinced the proposed route
from Worthing to Goring will
work.
Antony Cartmell, founder of
the Worthing Cycle Campaign,
is disappointed the plans do not
go to the heart of the problem.
The second stage of the council's plan is to install pedestrian
refuge islands at junctions,
making it safer to stop while
crossing lanes.
Mr Cartmell, of Ham Road,
East Worthing, said busy junctions should be prioritised
because that was where most of
the accidents occurred.
Although central reservations
will be removed along the western end of the route, roads nearer town will not be enlarged to
accommodate the track.
"Even subtle changes to junctions could make them safer.
Not enough funding is given to
cycle safety.
"Cycle lanes are cheap and
nice to look at, but, as far as
cyclists are concerned, it's not
really the answer.
"The lanes are a waste of time.
They will be only one metre
wide in some parts.
"At least they will make drivers a bit more aware of cyclists,
which they should be already!"
Mike Bleakley, Worthing's
planning boss, said, "After public consultation
and a review of
where most
accidents happened, a
route was
chosen that
by-passes
the busier
roads.
He said
the route,
along Goring Road and
Lansdowne Road, was one
already favoured by cyclists.
"The whole project is a priority.
"Improving safety at roundabouts is an ambitious project
which is not financially
achievable at this stage."
James Dowdeswell, proprietor of the
Raleigh Cycle
Centre,
Chatsworth
Road,
Worthing, felt
the cycle route
could help if
wide enough
roads were
used.
"If the route is
part of a gradual introduction of
safety measures, then it could
work. They need to choose wide
roads. It does not have to be a
direct route. People would be
happy to go out of their way for
safety.
"Junctions can be awkward.
Even in Brighton, the cycle
crossings are hard to steer
through.
"It's important for junctions to
be made safer, but whatever is
done has got to be an improvement on the way it is now," he
said.
Worthing cyclist Mrs J. Fields
said she would be less worried
for her son Sam, 10, if there
were cycle lanes.
"Cars would go out a little bit
further. They come so close
sometimes that you feel vulnerable.
"I can't see a cycle lane working here, though (Goring Parade
on Goring Road). It's too busy."
Pensioner Michael Mitchell rides his tricycle
on the pavements because the bike is too
wide for it to be on the roads.
"A cycle lane would not work for me.
"I'd prefer better junction crossings
because it can get a bit tricky if you're slow."
Akiko Nagasaki, another
cyclist, felt the new track would
improve the situation, but "you
need a lot more space to feel
safe".
Postman Andy Spencer gave
his full support to the new cycle
lane because it would make
pavements and
roads safer for
everyone.
The cyclist
and driver said,
"Lanes would
make drivers
aware and I
would definitely
use my bike
more often.
"If you've got
children, you are reluctant to let
them travel on the roads. I'm
behind any steps to make them
safer.
"Some of the pavement should
be used for lanes, especially
here (Goring Parade), where the
roads are too tight to bother
with a lane."
