Making more space to move around our towns and city safely

[Hereford Voice]

As shops re-open, people return to work and more people visit Hereford and the market towns, the government has asked local authorities to introduce temporary measures that give pedestrians and cyclists the space they need to maintain social distancing and travel safely. 

The measures, which will include using temporary barriers and signage to widen footways, some timed or partial road closures and dedicated cycle lanes, will allow more space to walk and cycle in busy areas. Speed reductions to 20mph on some streets will help pedestrians and cyclists feel safer where road space is shared.

The temporary measures, which are being introduced week beginning 20 July, are being funded by government Emergency Active Travel Funding, which has allocated £20,000 to Herefordshire to promote walking and cycling for short and local journeys. The temporary nature of the measures will allow them to be reviewed and additional funding is expected in the coming months to install further measures.

Cllr John Harrington, Cabinet member infrastructure and transport, explains:

Quote

“During lockdown lots of people took the opportunity to travel locally in a different way, with a huge number choosing to walk or cycle instead of using their cars for short distances. This made a big difference to congestion, to people’s health and to general feeling of wellbeing and quality of life. In our City and towns it was fantastic to see people choosing to leave their cars at home if they could and use their bikes or feet. It was particularly nice to see more families cycling together, feeling safer with the reduced traffic.

“As the restrictions are lifted we want to provide as much space to cyclists and pedestrians as possible to encourage them to continue with that and to free up pavements for safe queuing and distancing. We want people to feel relaxed when they come into town and to spend more time and money within our towns and City. It is important that we can adapt how we use space to support this.

“We’ve consulted with the City and town councils and local businesses and amended some of our initial proposals as a result of their feedback. Now is a good time for everyone to consider how they travel locally and what is better not just for our road network around Herefordshire but what is good for us and the planet. There will be further active travel measures considered over the summer.”

Full details including location maps are available on the Herefordshire Council website HERE

The temporary measures being introduced to provide more space for pedestrians and cyclists are:

Hereford

Cycle lanes on Newmarket St, Blueschool St, Commercial Rd, Ledbury Rd (uphill

Extended timed closure in High Town and Widemarsh St – 10.30am – 5.30pm

Closure of Old Wye Bridge except cycles and buses northbound

Closure of Aubrey St at junction with King Street

Parking suspension on Broad Street (west Green Dragon side), King St (south Spread Eagle side) and Bridge St (east Left Bank side)

Shared use footway on Station Approach

Extended 20mph zone (see map for exact area)

Bromyard

Footway widening on High Street and New Road

Suspension of some parking bays

20mph zone town-wide (see map for exact area)

Ledbury

On way on Woodleigh Rd except cycles

20mph zone town-wide (see map for exact area)

Leominster

Timed closure (except cycles) on High St, Victoria St, Corn St and Corn Square 10am-1pm Mon – Sat

20mph zone town-wide (see map for exact area)

Kington

Moderated traffic speed on High St

20mph zone town-wide (see map for exact area)

Ross on Wye

Moderated traffic speed through the town centre

20mph zone town-wide (see map for exact area)

Hereford_active_travel_response_map.pdf

Bromyard_active_travel_response_map.pdf

Kington_active_travel_response_map.pdf

Ledbury_active_travel_response_map.pdf

Leominster_active_travel_response_map.pdf

Ross_on_Wye_active_travel_response_map.pdf

[twowheelsgood]

Completely baffling that there is no provision made in St Owens St for neither contra-flow cycling or widened footpaths for pedestrians. This despite a long standing desire for a cycle contra-flow, three very expensive consultations and detailed designs over decades and a shovel-ready scheme ready to go for the last two years. Perhaps it isn't baffling, just par for the course. It is disappointing though.

[Steve Major]

Most of the cyclists I see ride on the pavements anyway and generally ignore traffic lights too.

[Irena Sulecka]

A lot of this does not make sense to me. Local retailers will loose out here and making the old bridge one way if just ridiculous 

[Hereford Voice]

These new measures started being put into place from today..

[ragwert]

I was in Andrew Morris est agents today.To say the local businesses around there are angry is an understatement.
Businesses are going to go under if the Council keep up this madness.
 

[ragwert]

On 15/07/2020 at 17:35, Irena Sulecka said:

A lot of this does not make sense to me. Local retailers will loose out here and making the old bridge one way if just ridiculous 

Its not one way Irena its no way unless you have a bike.

[twowheelsgood]

Or a bus. From discussions with the Central Ward Councillor, it's pretty obvious that BBLP are now running the show - they weren't interested in any input from anyone. The result is that the Govt considered it such a poorly designed proposal they only offered 50% of the £40k claimed. Guess who's paying the rest?

[Aylestone Voice]

Being a time served cyclist I am very much in favour of better cycling provision. I am also used to coping with traffic.

One of the Council's changes is to introduce a cycle lane on Blueschool Street and Newmarket Street - this in principle is good as it is dodgy for cyclists along there.

But what happens for cyclists at the Tesco roundabout - Unless I have missed something - bugger all as far as I can see. So you have to take your chance and it is really quite dangerous.

Why have a cycle lane on Bridge Street when the Old Bridge is closed to vehicles

And as TWG pointed out elsewhere what about St Owens Street?

 

This is just poorly thought out

 

 

[ragwert]

7 hours ago, Aylestone Voice said:

Being a time served cyclist I am very much in favour of better cycling provision. I am also used to coping with traffic.

One of the Council's changes is to introduce a cycle lane on Blueschool Street and Newmarket Street - this in principle is good as it is dodgy for cyclists along there.

But what happens for cyclists at the Tesco roundabout - Unless I have missed something - bugger all as far as I can see. So you have to take your chance and it is really quite dangerous.

Why have a cycle lane on Bridge Street when the Old Bridge is closed to vehicles

And as TWG pointed out elsewhere what about St Owens Street?

 

This is just poorly thought out

 

 

Keen cyclist here too AV.Don't you think the path alongside the Old Market is big enough for a cycle lane anyway.
I'm all for cycle lanes and safer roads for pedestrians but the utter shambles in Bridge St & Broad St is just appalling.No thought gone into any part of it and no consultation with local businesses.It's quite simply a rush job.

[ragwert]

Just to show the width of the path down here to show it does not need one lane being turned into a cycle lane.
The problem here if reduced to one lane will be traffic backing up around the roundabout causing huge tailbacks.If they do go ahead with this then the traffic lights on the roundabout will need to be switched off but I think its a safe bet this won't go ahead judging by the massive backlash with the Bridge St fiasco.

[twowheelsgood]

I'll bet there's a 100 cyclists going the wrong way up St Owen's St for every 1 you'll see on Newmarket St - as AV says, you have to negotiate the Edgar Street roundabout and not many cyclists with a will to live want to do that - I cycle '000's of miles a year, but will go out of my way to avoid it. There's more of this nonsense to come - cycle lanes in both directions on Commercial Road and one on Ledbury Road ('uphill' it says, presumably eastbound). The full horror is listed in the first post. I know everyone's rightly complaining that this is a Council decision, and it is, but it was designed by BBLP, who should be called to account in no short order, likewise the Officers that signed it off.

[megilleland]

Extraordinary meeting, Council - Tuesday 4 August 2020 2.00 pm

Title of report: Motions on notice

Report by: Solicitor to the Council

Classification
Open

Key decision
This is not an executive decision.

Wards affected
Countywide

Purpose
To consider a notice of motion concerning an urgent matter.

Recommendation
THAT: the motion below is debated and determined by Council.

Motion
(Proposed by Councillor Jim Kenyon, Seconded by Councillor Jonathan Lester)
We ask that the temporary infrastructure measures brought in across the county to encourage
cycling and walking be debated at the full Council meeting on 4 August 2020 and in light of the
debate the executive is asked to reconsider its decision to implement the temporary measures.

Reason for urgency
As the changes to the road network may have an adverse effect on the day to day activities of
businesses and residents it is important that this matter is debated at the next council meeting.

Appendices – none
Background papers – none identified

Looks like they have got second thoughts.

 

[twowheelsgood]

Shades of the infamous traffic reversal scheme!

[ragwert]

I'm waiting till the weekend when most not all of these cones and their accompanying signs will more than likely end up in the river Wye.

[megilleland]

Extraordinary meeting, Council - Tuesday 4 August 2020 2.00 pm

Watch this meeting live on the Herefordshire Council YouTube Channel

[Comprowise]

I thank the cyclists who think removing road space is a great idea but you are the minority less than 10% of the community?! As much cycling should be part of any city’s transport options the removal of road space clogging up our already congested city Is nonsense. The enabler for cycling lanes is to provide alternative routes for traffic. The current Council continues to demonstrate that it is less about cycling and more about anti-car due to its misshapen green ethos. This council is turning Hereford into an archaic backwater, that will have high unemployment no money and and be unsustainable location for businesses. This council will be responsible for the demise of Hereford as it cares little for the community and more about its members personal agendas. 

[Ruraldweller]

Ceasing parking along the Green Dragon side of Broad Street removes a significant amount of disabled parking bays. A vulnerable section of society penalised by a poorly poorly thought out scheme 

[Victor Wright]

8 hours ago, Ruraldweller said:

Ceasing parking along the Green Dragon side of Broad Street removes a significant amount of disabled parking bays. A vulnerable section of society penalised by a poorly poorly thought out scheme 

Yes more consideration needs to be given to the disabled however, I do think there are far too many disabled bays in Broad St, a lot of which are empty I have noticed when trying to park.

[megilleland]

On 30/07/2020 at 22:00, megilleland said:

Extraordinary meeting, Council - Tuesday 4 August 2020 2.00 pm

Watch this meeting live on the Herefordshire Council YouTube Channel

Some people can't wait for action.

From yourherefordshire.co.uk

Quote

 

Local businessman targets council offices in protest at new traffic measures in Hereford
03/08/2020

Herefordshire Council’s Plough Lane Offices have been cordoned off with Crime Scene Tape by a local businessman who says “they need to be prevented from committing any more crimes against our communities.”

The businessman who does not currently wish to be named was speaking to our reporter this morning and he said “I have tried all the conventional routes and made full representations to the council during the consultation process and these along with all others were ignored. So ahead of the meeting Tuesday he felt it was vital to show the council the strength of feeling amongst the business community!”

“As Jim Kenyon said we now have 5 cycle bridges and 1 motor traffic bridge.“

He continues by saying “The councils reasoning is that these measures are to help reduce the spread of COVID-19 this is absolute rubbish, if they introduce the cycle lane on Blue School Street most of the cyclists will either be run over as they try to navigate the Tesco Roundabout or die of poisonous fumes from the vehicles as they are all stood still on what will become Herefords largest car park.”

“These current measures are ill thought out and poorly executed and the council must listen to the communities it serves and not continue down this path which will kill the businesses in the city! We are not in North Korea so it’s about time they listened to the people!”

 

The council meeting tomorrow should be lively.

[twowheelsgood]

1 hour ago, megilleland said:

Some people can't wait for action.

From yourherefordshire.co.uk

The council meeting tomorrow should be lively.

Yes, I was hoping for a mass storming of the Shire Hall by the proletariat, demanding the heads of the 7 on spikes (metaphorically speaking) for this latest omnishambles, but presumably it will be a zoom meeting and the common sense of the masses will not be given a digital voice.

[Hereford Voice]

The council have now made some modifications and opened up disabled parking bays and also addition parking both sides of Broad St as well as clearly marking out the Taxi rank. To be fair these temporary measures are fluid and the council are reacting to feedback. 

[twowheelsgood]

Council meeting - well, that's 3 hours of my life I'll never get back - what tedium. Motion debated by some who even admitted to not knowing Hereford, Central Ward councillor didn't speak and it was ultimately withdrawn. 

[Aylestone Voice]

To be honest TWG why would you expect anything else??

As to them being"temporary measures" that is the classic Council excuse. To get around public complaints they will be able to say if it is all removed that they have listened and changed their mind.

Why do they not have a conversation with cyclists as to what could be provided - we want better facilities but also do not want motorists and others to blame us in any way. We all have to try to co-exist. And no we do not need any expensive consultants appointed to produce a plan which maybe in 5 years will be implemented.

[Comprowise]

These measures are temporary and its fluid, what utter nonsense. This council is pushing its self satisfying agenda, the method is beg forgiveness if caught out. This council is less than transparent about what it is trying to achieve and its policies are driven by a very odd and flawed green thought process. It is quite clear that this council is going to destroy any prospects Hereford might have and when challenged all it has to offer is a patronising tone and little justification for anything it WANTS to do.

[ragwert]

Who was the Councillor at the meeting who was more intrested in geting back to the beach on holiday than debating inportant matters?

[twowheelsgood]

Councillor Gemma Davies, Saxon Gate Ward, Cabinet Member - Commissioning, Procurement and Assets, no less. To be fair to her, she was arguing the protocol - it was a badly worded motion that suggested a vote for a discussion, not to then enter into the discussion itself at that point. It was poor chairmanship.

[twowheelsgood]

Here is her response to the usual mis-informed and abusive chatter on facebook after the event;

"Just for clarification I was already in tenby. My husband, budgie and I came away on Friday. I took time out of my holiday to attend the meeting ( smallest violin in the world I'm sure youre all saying). I wish I could say that I've had loads of days off due to covid but given that I am chair of staff side (head of the joint trade unions)at WVT I haven't had a day off since December including weekends. I put every working hour into the good of herefordshire in my professional role at WVT and my councillor role. I'm leading the project to get more local business into the council via our crazy procurement process.
The debate today (which wasn't a debate) was theatre of local politics, something that could have been done by everyone sitting down and discussing it. I asked for the question to be put on the motion as the motion asked for a simple yes or no answer to allowing a debate. Had I not have asked that we could've been faced with another hour of debate before agreeing to debate which is absolutely crazy. The tenby comment was put in because a number of people talked about key workers and the importance of looking after them and i pointed out that this key worker was on her first break since the beginning of covid. I genuinely apologise if it caused offence, if wasnt intended"