Cycling Quietway
Thanks to £800k from TFL, Richmond Council has funding to deliver a new Quietway, which TFL and the council hope will improve cycling through the town and Ham, becoming part of a longer Quietway to Wandsworth Common.
Unfortunately you’ve missed the public consultation events, they were pretty hastily announced and put on, if you were feeling sceptical it was almost as if the council didn’t want lots of responses.. However, we were able to attend and have a look at the new proposals, and all the information is here including how to submit your own feedback until the 3rd of August.
Quietways are designed to “improve the whole street environment for all road users” essentially being less obtrusive to existing motorists and therefore keep everyone happy. But the measures put in place are designed to make it easier for cyclists such as wayfinding signage. Changes to crossings with early release cycle signals are in the proposals and would help make cycling easier.
As a cyclist, the plans do make some sense and it’s important that we make use of the funding to the value of the whole community. With parking changes on many of Teddington’s roads likely to come into force (from what we’ve heard) the council should be doing more to encourage cycling into the town. In some places the proposals don’t go far enough. The Waldegrave roundabout is still tricky (can’t find the detailed designs online) with an emphasis on cycle routes along the Quietway made the priority; access from the High St to Waldegrave Road as an example is not improved, the idea from the Teddington Society to have a “tiger” style crossing to Broad Street makes sense for cyclists. Some changes such as a single lane entry to the Waldegrave Roundabout from the High St are likely to be unpopular with road users.
Whilst we were at the public consultation we discussed views with residents and local workers varying from “pave over the whole high street, it’s not really a through road for traffic” to “please no more cycling graffiti.” Whatever your opinion you can have your say here in the official consultation.
Let us know below your views on cycling in Teddington.
