Category: News

News items from Cycle Hayling

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Hayling Ferry Public Meeting

Hayling Island and Havant Labour party have organised a public meeting about the Hayling Ferry. The meeting is being held on Saturday 23rd January from 12pm at The Shades public house, 29 Seafront, Hayling (near the funfair).

It will be attended by Tim Trayte and Dave Baker, the new owners of the ferry, and chaired by Mike Evans, Secretary of Havant Labour Party.

It will be an opportunity to find out about new proposals and to discuss the way forward, including community involvement.

For further details, please email Sue Underwood at sue@cyclehayling.org

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Congratulations to Peter McQuade MBE!

It’s fantastic news that Peter – the force behind the Paris to Hayling ride – and a long-time supporter of Cycle Hayling has been awarded an MBE.

The ‘Ride’ has been going for 30 years and the next ride to LeMans is already fully-subscribed (although there are bound to be cancellations, so it might not be too late to enter). So far, it has raised over £1.5m and many local groups – including Cycle Hayling – have benefitted.

Well done, Peter!

More detail here.

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Billy Trail repairs update

We’ve received the following from Steve Mountain, the project manager:

We are running a little late (we originally hoped to have had the work done by now) due to the bad weather over the past weekend. HCC has also asked us to do some additional defence work whilst we are on site.

The expectation is that the Trail should be open to the public by the early part of next week.

We’ll let you know when we hear more.

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Online speed limit survey

A Hayling resident who is opposed to the new 30mph speed limit on the main Havant Road (see letters in November edition of The Hayling Islander) has set up an online poll regarding the speed limit.

It is a very quick two-question poll, which can be accessed at: www.surveymonkey.com/r/V6MYVWK

It simply asks whether or not you are in favour of the new speed limit and whether or not you were properly informed about the change.

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Letters in The Hayling Islander

The November edition of the Hayling Islander newspaper contained several letters that might interest our cycle community, and which some supporters may not have read.

One letter-writer singled out for criticism the behaviour of Hayling cyclists (in particular the “lycra clad fraternity” – so that excludes any of us ladies!). The criticism centred on cyclists riding two-abreast and not using approved cycle paths.

Four letters, however, concerned the new 30 mph speed limit on Havant Road, including a letter from John Perry, UKIP Hayling East Councillor. Apart from disapproving of the reduction in speed limit from 40 mph to 30 mph, there were also complaints about lack of prior notification and signage from Hampshire County Council.

I’m sure many of us who support Cycle Hayling would disagree with at least some of these opinions. Instead of an “official”  response from Cycle Hayling, however, it might be more effective if individuals who felt strongly on these issues were to write their own letter to the Hayling Islander.  

The contact details if you wish to do so are:

email: sarah.foster@jpress.co.uk

by post to: The Editor, Hayling Islander, 78 Elm Grove, Hayling Island, PO11 9EE

 

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More on the Billy Trail repairs

We’ve received this from Steve Mountain, the project manager…

The Trail will be closed south of the Oysterbeds / Esso car park for up to 3 weeks to allow repairs to be undertaken to a section of the Trail damaged by storms in 2014.

P T Contractors from Southampton have been appointed to carry out the works which will see 110m of timber revetment built to protect eroding clay banks alongside the popular Trail. After the works are complete, temporary fencing which has been erected to prevent users for getting too close to the sheer drop into the Harbour can be removed. The works are funded by Hampshire County Council.

The closure is to allow heavy lorries and other plant to access the working site safely. Whilst recognising the temporary inconvenience the closure will cause, the public are asked to be patient and to respect the closure which is after all for their protection.

We understand from various sources that the work is due to start on Monday, 16 November.

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Repairs on the Billy Trail

We understand that work on repairing the section of the trail that eroded away last year is due to start in early November.

This will seek to restore the trail to the state it was in before the storms. It’s not a permanent fix, however. We can expect erosion to continue until a longer-term solution can be implemented.

The work will involve some lorries on the trail and, therefore, some closures. We’ll let you know if we hear more.

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Chris Lapthorn

We’ve been saddened to hear that Chris – a long time supporter of Cycle Hayling – died recently after a long battle with cancer.

Chris was an enthusiastic cyclist. He was a CTC member and regular rider with the U3A cycling group. He was planning to join the Paris to Hayling cycle ride last year but was too ill to make it.

He was a well-known figure on the Island through his involvement with a number of groups including: the Bowling Club, HIADS, U3A and Age Concern. He was also a frequent contributor to the Hayling Forum as ‘Hayling Bowler’.

We will miss him.