Update from Cycle Hayling

This is the text of an email we sent to all Cycle Hayling supporters with email addresses on 5th December 2013…

Welcome to all our new supporters. You are helping us promote better cycling facilities on the Island.

In this update:

  • Good news for the ‘Safe routes to school’ project
  • More good news…
  • …and even more
  • New ‘Park and Stride’ scheme
  • An appeal about cycle lights
  • Watch out, there’s a thief about!
  • North East Hayling Residents Association
  • Hayling to Paris ride – update

Good news for the ‘Safe routes to school’ project

The Highways and Transport Workshop (South) met in Winchester recently to prioritise ‘minor works’ for next year. We had one project in the list: the extension of footpath 88 (the cinder path) into the Mill Rythe Schools’ campus. We’re very pleased to report that it is now funded!

The work is likely to start next spring.

£25K of the funding is coming from Hampshire County Council and £10K from Living Streets.

To get this far is the result of hard work from a lot of different people. Particular thanks go to:

  • The land owner, Hayling Island Builders Ltd, and current lease holder, A D Walter Ltd, for permission to build the path
  • Heather-Fiona Egan of HCC’s School Travel Team – who put the package together and steered the proposal through the prioritisation process
  • Councillor Frank Pearce for registering his support for the proposal
  • David Mowatt – Cycle Hayling committee member – for his time and effort in support of the work
  • HCC’s Minor Works team – which will create the new path

More good news…

We reported in the last update that we’d heard that work towards upgrading footpath 89 (connecting Higworth Lane and Church Road) to a shared cycle path had been blocked.

We’re now pleased to report that problem has been resolved. We are looking to get the upgrade on the Minor Works team’s list for prioritisation next financial year.

…and even more

We’ve learned more details about the Havant Borough Council project to join the Hayling section of the Billy Trail to the Langstone section. The tendering process is nearly complete and and it’s looking like construction work will start on 6th January. In the meantime there will be some advance vegetation clearance work and erection of matrix signs to let people know what’s happening. Specifically, we are told that…

“The works will involve widening the remaining sections of narrow footway on the west side of the road between the entrance to the Langstone Sailing Club and to a point opposite the Hayling Island Service Station (Texaco) to a consistent 2.5m width. The work does not involve any works to Langstone Bridge, this will remain its existing width. Upon completion this footway will become ‘shared’ status for legal use by cyclists as well as pedestrians.

To widen the footway we will need to build retaining walls for almost the entire length of the scheme (350m or so); however these will be low ‘ground’ walls and will be built from precast kerbing units for speed and ease of installation. They will not be visible from the road. The existing railings will be removed from site, refurbished and reinstalled along the top of the new retaining wall.

A new more open access point will be created onto the open space leading up to the old bridge abutment to the south of the Bridge. We are working with other colleagues to develop plans for public use of this area.

Included in the project are the installation of new dropped crossings, removal of dropped crossings no longer required, the installation of raised ‘bus access kerbs’ at the Northney Road northbound bus stop and the upgrading of the pedestrian crossing point across Havant Road south of the junction with Northney Road. Environmental mitigation includes the creation by Hampshire County Council of a new wild flower meadow in the area between Northney Road and Havant Road, as well as improvements to the car park opposite the filling station, and to the access to the Billy Trail further south.”

The Havant map showing the enhanced cycle route is here.

New ‘Park and Stride’ scheme

This is not a Cycle Hayling project as such, but committee member David Mowatt reports that Tournebury Golf Course has agreed to a three-month trial of a scheme that will allow parents to park at the golf course and then use the upgraded footpath 88 to walk or cycle to school.

The scheme will start next January.

An appeal about cycle lights and reflectives

It’s becoming common to see young people cycling on Hayling’s roads – including the busy A3023 – at night, without lights. It’s a very worrying development, especially if other children start deciding it’s not cool to use lights.

If you have children, grandchildren, nephews, nieces or if you know any children that cycle at night, please do your best to explain the dangers and encourage them to use lights and reflectives. Wilf Forrow has written an article on the Cycle Hayling web site you might find useful.

Watch out, there’s a thief about!

According to PCSO Neil Roberts, Hayling Island was second only to Leigh Park for the number of bike thefts in the last 6 months!

Virtually all the thefts were bikes that had not been locked up, and appear to be opportunistic. Someone saw an unattended and unlocked bike, and took it. So, be aware.

Neil is setting up a bike security event to coincide with a Bikeability week at Hayling College. I’ll let you know details when they’re confirmed.

North East Hayling Residents Association

We were invited to make a presentation to NEHRA last night. It was a very well-attended event with a full complement of councillors and David Willetts. Joy managed to squeeze a lot of information into a short time and we got a lot of encouragement from the discussion over wine and nibbles, as well as 20 new supporters.

Hayling to Paris ride – update

Next year’s Hayling Cycle Ride – which is returning to Paris – is proving to be popular. It’s possible that the ride will be over-subscribed. So, if you haven’t signed up yet, why not do it now?

There is more detail and an application form here. You can also find out how to join this year’s Santa ride here.


2013 has been a very positive year for cycling on Hayling Island and it looks like 2014 will be even better!

Have a great Christmas and all the best for the new year,

Andy Henderson
Chair, Cycle Hayling