For more information on ongoing issues see the Pedals Meeting Agendas and background notes at: http://www.pedals.org.uk/meeting_agendas_and_minutes
and recent newsletters available as pdfs at http://www.pedals.org.uk/newsletter

• Network Rail designs for replacement of Sneinton level crossings
  (Trent Lane and Meadow Lane), January 2012.
  We are discussing carefully the implications for cyclists, on Trent Lane and Meadow Lane, and the Sneinton Greenway, the detailed designs of these bridges which are designed to replace the present level crossing on these two roads, both important through routes for cyclists.
  

• Site meeting of 17 January 2012 to discuss Pedals proposals for possible realignment of Sustrans National Cycle Network Route 6 in Bulwell.
  The photo show Andrew Martin (Pedals) and Keith Morgan from the City Council looking at possible options for changing the alignment of Route 6 through Bulwell to avoid the need for cyclists to lift their bikes on the bridge over the River Leen and Robin Hood Line / NET Line One tracks about 300 metres south of Bulwell Station and near Deptford Crescent. This is now to be discussed further with the City Council and with Sustrans, for whom Andrew is a Volunteer Ranger.
  

• Lenton Lane car parking on pavements and obstruction of cycle facilities, October 2011
  With the introduction of tighter car parking controls at the nearby QMC and also now car parking charges at Nottingham University this problem continues to get worse and worse and is now making use of this road often quite dangerous for cyclists as well as causing obstruction for other road users.

  We are therefore stepping up pressure on the City Council and Police for effective action to address these problems, and without waiting for the start of work on the NET tram extension that will soon involve major changes to this road. The Traffic Regulation Orders to ban car parking on this road in relation to the tram are now to be introduced earlier, to address this problem.
  
  link to article on this in the Nottm Post of Friday 21 October 2011:
  http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/Parking-s-putting-perilous-squeeze-say-cyclists/story-13620700-detail/story.html
  
  

• Wigman Road (near Harvey Hadden Stadium) layout changes, September 2011
  - another example of poor details affecting cyclists, e.g. in the width of the pinchpoint and the sharp angle of approach. The City Council have agreed to review the new layout and the various changes it causes for cyclists. We met them in December 2011 and they agreed to produce a series of options to improve the situation, which we hope to discuss with them soon.
  

• Late Summer / Autumn 2011: Improving provision for cyclists on the A52 (Derby Road) between the Bramcote Island and the Dunkirk flyover roundabout.
  The interests of cyclists and other 'non-motorised users' have not been given enough weight by the Highways Agency in their plans for this important Trunk Road. A 'Non-Motorised User' Study has at last been prepared but we consider it very inadequate and disappointing so are now pressing for the scope for improved cycling provision to be more thoroughly investigated, in close partnership with the local authorities, Pedals and the Sustrans UCycle Project, etc.
  

• Musters Road (West Bridgford) cycle lanes removal, April 2011

Pedals protest at County Council's removal of
two good cycle lanes in West Bridgford (April 2011)

Pedals has protested very strongly to the County Council at their decision, on grounds of motor vehicle capacity alone, to remove two very good and much appreciated stretches of cycle lane on Musters Road, West Bridgford, at the junctions with Melton Road and Rectory Road.

The former (pre-August 2005) dangerous road layout has now been put back, with its much more dangerous two general traffic lanes.

The change was made without any consultation with Pedals and a time of great financial cutbacks. It was also made against the advice of the County Counciil's own officers, who recommended that the previous (2005-April 2011) layout was best from a general road safety point of view as well as for cyclists in particular.

Pedals is therefore now urging all local cyclists to protest about this very serious changes.
Please write, making use if you wish of this suggested template letter, to:-

Councillor Richard Jackson,
Cabinet Member for Transport and Highways,
Nottinghamshire Couhty Council
County Hall,
West Bridgford,
Nottingham
NG2 7QP
email: cllr.richard.jackson@nottscc.gov.uk

link to Nottm Post article on this issue:
www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/news/New-road-layout-puts-danger-8211-cyclists/article-3508986-detail/article.htm

March 2011

Trowell Road cycle lanes setback

We were disappointed to see the recent degradation of part of the fairly good cycle lanes on Trowell Road by the installation of pavement build-outs as part of a new Safe Routes to School signalled crossing near Birchwood Avenue and Trowell Road. We have now met the City Council to discuss this. (see photo). 

It seems to be a classic case of one part of the City Council deciding on a project in isolation from those responsible for cycling and showing no awareness of the extra inconvenience and possible dangers this has caused for cyclists approaching on Trowell Road and having either to pull out to avoid the build-outs and go behind the crossing and lose their priority at the side road crossing. 

Even though this problem has now been recognised it is very unlikely we gather, with all the spending cuts, of there being any money now to make the situation much better again!

October 2010

Sharp Hill subway under the A52 south of West Bridgford

Pedals is stepping up our campaign for this wide agricultural subway to be used as a key link in a shared cycling and pedestrian route through the new housing to be built from July 2011 at Sharp Hill, off the Melton Road (A606) south of West Bridgford, under the A52 (Outer Ring Road) between the Nottingham Knight and Lings Bar roundabouts, as part of a cycle route between Ruddington and West Bridgford (Boundary Road and the Green Line), serving Rushcliffe School and Leisure Centre, etc.

The subway under the A52, a trunk road, is the responsibility of the Highways Agency, so we are also working with them and the developers, Bovis Homes.

The subway has been blocked for several years, following a dispute about local rights of way and access, but, following a rights of way order by the County Council in May 2011, and a lot of hard work on local rights of way issues by local Rushcliffe Borough Councillor Rod Jones, we hope that the soil will soon be removed and that the subway will be usable again.

The right of way be officially be only a public footpath and we are continuing the campaign for this to be upgraded as a proper legal facility for cyclists as well, with proper access on both sides.

The photos show the subway from both north and south sides and include one of Karina Wells standing near the south entrance during a site visit in October 2010.

Update, November 2011
In October 2011 the pile of earth blocking the subway under the A52 Trunk Road was removed, meaning that it is now physically possible once again to walk or cycle through it!

A One Plus, the Managing Agency Consultancy for The Highways Agency have indicated informally that they have no objections to its being made a shared use subway so we are now asking them to confirm this and to work with the County Council, Rushcliffe Borough Council and Bovis Homes on a detailed feasability study to assess what needs to be done, legally and physically, to make the subway and its accesses available for cyclists, and to link with the proposed spine path (shared footway/ cycleway) through the new housing development at Sharp Hill to be carried out over the next few years.

Views looking south through the subway from Sharp Hill towards Landmere Lane (Ruddington)

Views through the subway looking north from Landmere Lane (Ruddington) towards Sharp Hill

 January 2010

Improving cycle parking at shops and health care facilities

Please let us have your images of good and bad cycle parking at different shops
around the Nottingham area:

Good	Could do better
Improved cycle stands at the Coop, Bridgford Road, West Bridgford, January 2010	Good location for these undercover cycle stands right by the main entrance to Morrisons' store, Gamston, West Bridgford, but the stands are installed far too close together, making them quite awkward to use!
Covered cycle stands at Asda, West Bridgford	Castle Meadow Retail Park, Nottingham, with very little cycle parking!
Cycle parking outside shops on Hollington Road, Beechdale, installed in 2010 by Nottm City Council	Cycle stands at PC World, Castle Meadow Retail Park, Nottingham: well-installed but not undercover and rather distant from the store entrance

• for more information on this campaign contact
  Peter Briggs: peter.chris.briggs@googlemail.com

Cycle parking at health care facilities: