Minutes of the HCDF meeting 4th April 2017

Attendees: Philip Ayerst, Geoff Bragg, Ruth Fletcher (Chair), Stella Sharp, Graham Sitton (Forest NC)

Apologies: Peter Silburn, Dick Streeter

Agenda

Approval of previous minutes

Approved unamended.

Matters arising

Football Club

Philip will keep a watching brief to follow up on delivery of the promises.

Philip

Updates

Pavilions car park

Far from taking advantage of the expansion work to improve cycling provision as we had been expecting, the proposed design is a serious step backwards for both cycling and, especially, walking. Philip has sent in a personal objection, the Horsham Society is objecting. Ruth will send in an objection on behalf of the forum. Philip will circulate details for others to object.

Ruth

North of Horsham

North Horsham Parish Council is engaging Phil Jones Associates to do a quick study on walking and cycling access to the north of Horsham site. Ruth will liaise with Lucy Marsland at PJA to provide background information. Philip will put key documents from the planning application up on Dropbox so they can be passed to PJA. The revised application includes 60 new drawings. Philip has drafted a revised objection on behalf of the forum.  Steering group to contribute further.

Town centre contraflows

Ruth met Peter Bradley and Andy Mouland from WSCC and Nigel Weston and Michael Eastham from HDC on 17th March for an initial briefing and walk around of the site. The WSCC team have identified s106 funds of £78k to add to £30k for the feasibility study, plus possible additional funds from the Piries Place redevelopment. Those present were very positive about the concept of two-way cycling on one-way streets and about permitting cycling in pedestrianised areas. The various locations and possibilities were covered in some detail. A subsequent report by WSCC however seemed to significantly row back the ambition and avoid taking advantage of planned redevelopments in Lynd Cross and Piries Place. The forum has sent Peter Bradley a subsequent report with further detail and examples of similar locations with similar treatments.

Ruth to contact Forest Neighbourhood Council for the forum to introduce our work and to discuss the opportunities for Barrington Road. Philip to contact Peter Bradley re the opportunity to incorporate the desired improvements to Park Place as part of the changes required for the Piries Place redevelopment. We have been given conflicting accounts of land ownership of this access road: Graham suggested using the Land Registry records to check.

Ruth, Philip

Warnham-Horsham cycleway/Strood Lane

There has been some progress on the Warnham cycleway as Jonathan Lucas has confirmed he wishes to go ahead with the footpath diversion. Because of public objection, the next step is for this to go to a public enquiry – this will not be until after the Christ’s Hospital inquiry. In response to the forum’s position on providing a bitmac surface in line with Sustrans recommendations, WSCC PRoW replied that they still wish any surface to be gravel, not bitmac which they see as discriminating against the needs of walkers and equestrians.

The cycle bypass allowing cyclists to turn off the A281 into Strood Lane is now in operation.

Horsham District cycle tourism

Ruth and Thea will meet with HDC’s consultants to discuss the opportunities for cycle tourism – especially through improving the Downs Link, filling in the Christ’s Hospital gap and providing a bitmac surface. Grants of up to £170k are available for rural tourism infrastructure via C2C. Thea will try to get HDC to endorse a bid for a local Shelley-themed cycle tourism route.

Potential cycle event

Thea and Dick have been working on this. Thea outlined the possibilities including a Carfax stall, try-a-bike, a changing places event, recommended routes and capturing feedback.

County elections

The meeting agreed actions for the Cycle Election Debate to be held on 21st April.

Other

Ruth to discuss with Andrew Cooke re the cycling input for the Blueprint neighbourhood plan.

Date of next meeting

7:30pm on Tuesday 6th June in the Hastings Room, County Hall North, WSCC, Parkside, Chart Way, Horsham.

Please enter by the side entrance. Cycle parking is available.

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