Chester Cycling Campaign

This is a group for people interested in campaigning for better cycle facilities in the Chester area.

  • Highway Code changes

    sound+fury // 1 thread

    A bill is being put forward to sentence any cyclist convicted of dangerous cycling to a 14 year prison term.

    Please sign in to vote.
  • DfT Policy Paper - Inclusive Transport Strategy

    Created by Matthew // 1 thread

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/inclusive-transport-strategy

    Lots of interesting stuff about inclusive transport regarding trains, buses, cars, public realm, streets and yes a bit about cycling too. Quotes:

    Shared Space:

    8.11 While we consider CIHT and DPTAC’s recommendations and how to take them
    forward, we are requesting that local authorities pause any shared space schemes
    incorporating a level surface they are considering, and which are at the design stage.
    We are also temporarily suspending Local Transport Note 1/11. This pause will allow
    us to carry out research and produce updated guidance.

    Objectives regarding Cycling:

    • Update Local Transport Note 2/08, which sets out the Department’s guidance to
    local authorities on designing safe and inclusive infrastructure for cyclists, to take
    account of developments in cycling infrastructure since its publication in 2008 and
    the responses to the draft AAP consultation and publish a revised version by early
    2019;
    • By 2020, explore the feasibility of amending legislation to recognise the use of
    cycles as a mobility aid71 in order to increase the number of disabled people
    cycling.

    Please sign in to vote.
  • Traffic Lights needed to enable safe cycle crossing of Hoole Road.

    Created by Chris Neston // 1 thread

    Cyclist travelling from South of Chester ( eg Sandy Lane ) and heading for the Greenway have to cross Hoole Road. They do so at various places eg Hamilton Street or Lightfoot Lane.

    Although there are pedestrian crossing places in Hoole Road there are none for cyclists. Hoole road is full of traffic in both directions and most drivers are unwilling to allow cyclist to cross in front of them. This results in long waits and cyclists have to take risks to get across the road. I suggest that a review of this road takes place and improvements made. These could be light controlled crossings or a revised give way system.

    Please sign in to vote.
  • Just needs some white paint!

    Created by Chris Neston // 1 thread

    A lot of money was spend a couple of years ago providing a segregated tarmac path along Chester Road between Bretton Lane and Saltney Ferry Road. This provides an excellent link for cyclist coming over Saltney Ferry Bridge and heading into the area Sount of Bretton which means rural Flintshire and Cheshire, It is well used but only designed for people heading west along the road.
    Prior to the cyclepath construction there were very narrow cycle lanes painted on both sides of the road, these were narrow and of no practical value to anyone. With the introduction of the cyclepath leading West there is the opportunity to repaint the road removing the west bound narrow lane, moving the centre line of the road south a little and then making the East bound lane double its present width. This would not be perfect but would be a great improvement on what exists now and cost very little.

    Please sign in to vote.
  • Continuation of riverside route from Racecourse to Cop & Dee Path

    Created by Simon B // 1 thread

    Adjacent to existing apartments on Sealand Road near the Cop is a new development currently under construction by Watkins Homes Ltd. Curently there is a barriered-off ramped access to Sealand Road to cross the Canal entrance to the river that leads around the exisiting apartments. This was originally envisaged as part of a continuous shared use riverside route.

    The development of the site offers the opportunity to ensure that shared use access can be maintained, developed and improved along the riverside route that skirts the perimiter of the Racecourse and continues to the River Dee path that leads to Garden City and Queensferry. This could be before residents purchase properties who could well be resistant to a pathway near their new homes.

    Whilst the access to the River Dee from the Shropshire Union Canal presents a barrier to a straightforward continuation of the riverside route to join the River Dee shared use path into Wales, the creation of a small extension around the permiter of the new development under construction would mean that an attractive continuous offroad route could be created with minimal additional works (widening of the existing footway for approximately 100mtrs).

    It would be helpful to gather thoughts and ideas before the developers and Planning and Highways Department of the Local Authority are approached about this opportunity

    Please sign in to vote.
  • Crossing the Old Dee Bridge to/from Handbridge

    Created by Simon B // 1 thread

    The river crossing across the River Dee from Chester City Centre to Handbridge is a key access route for cyclists from south of the city into the city centre, especially since the pedestrian crossing across the suspension bridge from Handbridge/Queens Park has a prohibition on cycling.

    The crossing on the histroric Handbridge is controlled by traffic lights operated by inductive sensors at both ends of the bridge. The timing of these lights means that those who are slower cyclists or part of a group of cyclists sometimes do not reach the other side of the bridge before the lights have changed for the traffic in the opposite direction.

    This causes an intimidatory situation, and occasionally a dangerous situation when traffic has started to cross on to the narrow bridge confronting cyclists coming in the other direction.

    It would be helpful to log any incidents that people may have encountered to accumulate suitable evidence for both English Heritage (who control aspects of what can be installed on to the listed structure) and for the Highway Authroity (Cheshire West & Chester Council) to afford this a greater priority than currently.

    The Council is unwilling to lengthen the delay on the lights before they change in the opposite direction (citing unjustifiable delay to traffic), and English Heritage have said that additional sensors cannot be installed into the road surface /bridge structure to delay the changing of lights due to cyclists still traversing the bridge.

    Please sign in to vote.
  • Land At Sutton New Hall Farm Ledsham Road Little Sutton Ellesmere Port

    A large area of land to be developed for residential housing near Ledsham/Little Sutton Ellesmere Port is the subject of ongoing planning applications by the developer.

    The area, once developed for housing, offers the opportunity to access Capenhurst Station via a new shared use route that could be created as part of the development and also making use of an existing track in the ownership of National Grid which leads to a electricity distribution substation from Capenhurst Lane.

    The proposal is for a residential development of up to 2,000 homes, up to 400 sqm of retail floor space for a local shop, a new primary school, a community building, a new linear park, playing fields and other public open space, new allotments, together with new accesses, streets and other related infrastructure.

    A Full Outline Application 12/02091/OUT (approved on appeal by the developer) and a 'Reserved Matters Application' 16/05464/REM (currently awaiting decision) refers to the area in question. and can be viewed on the Cheshire West and Chester Council Planning portal.

    Currently there are no plans by the developer or planning authority to create access to Capenhurst Station from the development affording opportunities for accessing employment in Liverpool/Wirral/Chester through use of public transport.

    Please sign in to vote.
  • Planning application : 17/00266/TEL mast Installation for telecoms

    Created by ken thomas // 2 threads

    Installation of 17.5m single stack pole base station and associated works
    Telcommunications Site Off Caldy Valley Road Great Boughton Chester Cheshire CH3 5PR
    Application reference : 17/00266/TEL

    No drawings or details are shown on the planning website.
    A recent drawing seen for the project shows the cabinets blocking half the available width of the cycle/footpath. Such siting is not acceptable on a recently developed cycleway designed to specific standards.

    Please sign in to vote.
Back to top