Issue - meetings

An officer comment to the following petition will be presented: Create a safe route for pedestrians and cyclists between Chobham and Woking

The Woking Joint Committee agreed:

i)             That a Woking, Horsell and Chobham cycle route be considered in the forthcoming cycle strategy for Woking.

ii)            That a request be considered to include a Woking, Horsell and Chobham cycle route in the revised Section 123 List of future infrastructure needs.

iii)            That part of the existing footway will have maintenance work carried out to restore the original width.

Reason for decisions

The above decisions were made because although the provision of a continuous route for pedestrians and cyclists between Chobham and Woking would be ideal, the financial and physical constraints do not currently make this route possible.

Declarations of Interest: None

Officers attending: Andrew Milne, Area Highways Manager

Petitions, Public Questions, Statements: The lead petitioner, Mr Norman

Johns addressed the committee detailing his concerns over the lack of a safe cycling and pedestrian route. He noted that there are pupils who attend Woking High School that travel from Chobham each day, and the lack of bus service makes it difficult for these pupils to do so safely. This cycle route is wanted and needed by the residents and it appears that the Borough Council could use funding from local sources if required as the County Council have no money to spare. Mr Johns noted this petition had also been received by the Surrey Heath Local Committee.

Member Discussions – Key Points

1.   The part of the route that falls within Woking is on a list to be included in the Sustainable Transport Package, funded through the Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP); conversations are ongoing with the LEP regarding this. Surrey does have a cycling strategy in place already.

2.   The committee recognised there was a need to improve aspects of the route and supported the principles of the petition.

3.   Will Forster therefore proposed, and Liz Bowes seconded the following recommendations:

i)              That a Woking, Horsell and Chobham cycle route be considered in the forthcoming cycle strategy for Woking.

ii)             That a request be considered to include a Woking, Horsell and Chobham cycle route in the revised Section 123 List of future infrastructure needs.

Members considered the recommendations, noting that previous petition requests had been thrown out due to lack of funding, and a similar stance should be taken on this. It was noted that adding this to a list kept it as a consideration for the committee when funds were available and did not put a time scale on when this would be done.

The committee voted unanimously for the amended recommendations.

Resolution:

The Woking Joint Committee agreed the following:

i)              That a Woking, Horsell and Chobham cycle route be considered in the forthcoming cycle strategy for Woking.

ii)             That a request be considered to include a Woking, Horsell and Chobham cycle route in the revised Section 123 List of future infrastructure needs.

iii)            That part of the existing footway will have maintenance work carried out to restore the original width as funding allows.

The above decisions were made because although the provision of a continuous route for pedestrians and cyclists between Chobham and Woking would be ideal, the financial and physical constraints do not currently make this route possible at this time.