Continuing the trend that was set in the post January 2020 in review, here is a round-up of a selection of our online tweets, along with some headlines from our offline correspondence, during the month of February 2020 – a very busy month!
Progress on the borough’s first proposed Cycleway features quite extensively, but Wandle Trail barriers, and concerns relating to safety on the Carshalton Station approach road are back in the mix too. We engaged on Twitter with Paul Scully, MP for Sutton and Cheam, and met with newly elected Elliot Colburn, MP for Carshalton and Wallington.
Will Norman, Walking and Cycling Commissioner, gave presentations to Hounslow Cycling (report here) and to Southwark Cyclists (report here).
Online
In addition to those tweets, three blog posts were published in February 2020.
Offline
During February 2020, topics by email included:
Writing to Sutton Council officers to:
- respond to an email that officers had sent to us in related to the K Barrier on the Wandle Trail. In our reply (3 February 2020) we provided some suggestions for the way forward. No acknowledgement to our email has been received (as of 2 March).
- respond to ongoing correspondence in relation to Tharp Road (9 February 2020).
- respond, affirmatively, to an invitation to attend a meeting of the task and finish group of Councillors overseeing the borough’s climate and emergency plan on 26 March 2020 (28 February 2020).
- acknowledge the announcement that the public consultation on the Colliers Wood to Sutton Town Centre Cycleway – Sutton Section was finally underway (received 27 February 2020). Consultation opened 25 February, and runs to 23 March 2020: Cycleway between Sutton High Street and Colliers Wood – Proposals in Sutton.
Writing to Merton Cyclists to:
- provide background on the London Road / Goat Road junction, on the border of LB Merton and LB Sutton, and its classification as a “top accident hotspot” by the LB of Sutton several years ago; and how the anticipated LIP proposals (details of which, as yet, unknown) have been awaited for two and a half years (5 February 2020). Follow-up email to ask whether Merton Cyclists were able to confirm you have been in touch with ward councillors, in reference to the action from the 18 December 2019 Sutton Cycle Forum – ‘Sutton Cycle Campaign to ask Merton Cycle Campaign to press their councillors for progress as this is a cross-borough initiative’ (15 February 2020). No response as of 2 March 2020.
Writing to Network Rail (and copied to council officers):
- on 5 February 2020, in relation to Carshalton Station Approach Road (and the information provided by Paul Donald (Network Rail) at the Sutton Public Transport Liaison Group meeting on 4 February 2020 that Carshalton Station approach road works were in hand (including the correct signage for contraflow at the West Street junction). 5 February 2020). Network Rail confirmed the same day that the signs were being ordered by Govia Thameslink Railway, and that NR would ask GTR for an update as to whether the signs have been ordered. The last update NR had had from GTR (Paul Wyborn) was on 15 January 2020, and this indicated that there was hope that the work would be completed by the end of February [2020]. In terms of the review at the junctions at West Street and North Street, NR confirmed this was the responsibility of Highways and LB Sutton. LB of Sutton needed to tell NR what options were feasible and legal. The 15 January 2020 update also indicated that Cllr. Kevin Burke had written to Mr Donald and Mr Wyborn on the 10 January 2020 in relation to a discussion on the station approach road during the December 2019 Sutton Cycle Forum, and noting that there had been a site meeting with LBS officers. Cllr. Burke noted: “There needs to be proper signage informing motorists that the cycle route is there and to approach the brow of the hill with caution. Better still a properly marked cycle route would make this a much safer and more pleasant route for cyclists”. The reply from Paul Donald to this (10 January 2020) included: “We have looked at this with LBS officers. Unfortunately there is no room for a dedicated cycle route without losing car parking spaces which as you will appreciate are already at a premium at Carshalton Station and are well used by passengers. Paul [Wyborn, GTR] did agree to put in some additional signage and I will let him respond on where he is with that”. So, “….no room for dedicated cycle route without losing car parking spaces…”. Can’t argue with that, can you? Well, we did. See ‘Provision of parking on Carshalton station approach road‘, ‘Parking to generate income rather than fulfil a requirement‘, ‘Inefficient use of the available space‘ and ‘Looking to the future‘ in Carshalton Station approach road – safety improvements expected soon (Get Sutton Cycling, 31 August 2019).
Writing to Cllr. Manuel Abellan and Cllr. Kevin Burke to:
- thank them for inviting LCC member Charles Martin to discuss the future of the Sutton Cycle Forum with them, and to summarise the discussions of the meeting (that took place on 6 February 2020).
Writing to residents:
- in response to a question about cycling tuition and an inquiry about Play Streets (8 February 2020 and 9 February 2020).
- in response to an inquiry about future cycle investment and ideas for cycle paths on London Road, Hackbridge (11 February 2020).
- in response to the news that there are to be a series of public meetings on the Cycleway, stage 2 (16 February 2020) – also see Cycleway Update (Sutton North Liberal Democrat Councillors, 22 February 2020).
- in response to the poor condition of the cycle path through Rose Hill Park East and Greenshaw Woods (19 February 2020).
Writing to LCC members and supporters in the borough to:
- promote the Surrey County Council Survey on Prudential RideLondon-Surrey (13 February 2020).
Discussion with Get Sutton Cycling supporters:
- regarding a draft response to the Foresters Drive Highway Improvement Programme (17 and 18 February 2020), formal notification of which was received on 21 February 2020.
- regarding a response to the the news that TfL has agreed to fund a cycle link between the Cycleway and St Helier Hospital (19 and 20 February 2020, see Link between Sutton’s first proposed Cycleway and St Helier hospital approved).
- Traffic Management Orders relating to the relocation of an existing disabled persons parking place in Bishopsford Road, Morden (Cycleway related), the introduction and extension of a 20mph speed limit, along with a zebra crossing bu Meadow Primary School, in the Sparrow Farm Road Area, and a raised table in Kingsmead Avenue by Dalmeny Road (21 February 2020) – see ‘What happened next?’ in St Helier section of Sutton’s first proposed Cycleway: feedback to consultation responses.
- the possibility that Rydon are proposing barriers on the Wandle Trail in Hackbridge (24 February 2020)
- the lack of response to our email sent to councillor officers on 3 February 2020 regarding the NCN barriers at Watermead Lane and Budge Lane, and the lack or response to our email to Sustrans, on the same topic, on 26 January 2020 (24 February 2020)
- regarding the ongoing operation of the one-way experimental traffic order for Tharp Road (27 February 2020)
- the announcement that the public consultation on the Colliers Wood to Sutton Town Centre Cycleway – Sutton Section was finally underway (27 February 2020). Published ‘Cycleway between Sutton High Street and Colliers Wood – proposals in the Sutton area’ informal consultation launched, 1 March 2020.
Meetings
- 6 February 2020: Charles Martin met with Councillor Manuel Abellan, Liberal Democrat , Beddington South, Chair – Environment & Neighbourhood Committee; and Councillor Kevin Burke, Liberal Democrat, Sutton West, Chair – Planning Committee, to discuss the future of the Sutton Cycle Forum
- 14 February 2020: Marcus Howarth and Charles Martin met with Elliot Colburn, Conservative, MP for Carshalton and Wallington, Councillor for Cheam ward, and Vice Chair – Sutton South, Cheam & Belmont Local Committee, and Elliott’s PA Councillor Catherine Gray, Conservative, Sutton West ward. See First meeting with Elliot Colburn MP.
v1: 03.03.2020; v1.1 04.03.2029 added link to meeting with Elliot Colburn MP.
Get Sutton Cycling 
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