Borough of Havant Cycling Strategy
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Havant Borough Council is
committed to:
- promoting the positive sides of cycling - health, enjoyment,
costs and convenience
- developing safe cycle routes
- providing more safe cycle parking at council centres for those
who cycle and encouraging industry and commerce to follow this
example
- encouraging leisure cycling as a desirable social activity
- producing suitable publicity material and advising everyone
within the Borough of the advantages and benefits of cycling
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We have now published the second edition of the Havant Borough Cycle Map which
has comprehensive information about current cycle facilities
across the Borough at the time of press (May 2011).
For more information about cycling in Hampshire, including the
county's cycle path network, follow this link to
the County Council's web site >>.
Statistics
In the Havant area only 4.2% of journeys to work are made by
cycle compared to 6.5% in neighbouring Portsmouth and 11.1% in
Gosport (2001 census).
However within the Borough there are considerable differences
between individual Wards. The topography of the area highlights
this point and shows up particularly when comparing the hilly areas
west of the A3(M) with less than 3% cycling to work, with the
flatter, more level Wards such as Battins, Bedhampton, Bondfields
and Hayling Island which are all over 6%. Interestingly, over 35%
of journeys to work are of less than 5km distance, and are so ideal
for cycling (or walking).
Our Cycle Network
Havant Borough Council has taken opportunities to provide
lengths of cycle routes during the past few years with sections
being continually added as funding permits. The intention is to
eventually link up what may at present be individual lengths, into
a coherent pattern forming a core cycle network across the Borough.
This expansion has been funded not only by the Borough Council but
also from contributions made by developers of housing and business
schemes.
We aim to establish a network of cycle routes linking into the
cycle networks of our neighbouring authorities, to serve the
following purposes:
- provide cycle routes to work
- provide cycle routes to public transport interchanges
- provide safe cycle routes to schools and colleges
- provide leisure routes
- make crossings at junctions and roundabouts as safe as
possible
The detail of the network will no doubt change over time,
if only to reflect a decade of development and changing government
priorities. As funding becomes available, we seek to implement
additional cycle facilities in order to eventually produce the
network described above.
Progress to Date
So far we have achieved the following:
- Widley (Portsmouth boundary) to Cowplain (East Hampshire
boundary) provided as part of the A3 bus priority route and completed in
2008;
- Havant to Cowplain (East Hampshire boundary) is
complete as far south as Barncroft Way. North of the Middle
Park Way / Woolston Road junction the route includes a traffic-free
crossing of the A3(M). A further traffic-free section runs
alongside the Hermitage Stream; the two sections are
linked with an on-street section along Middle Park Way past
Park Community School;
- Havant to Rowlands Castle (East Hampshire boundary) via
Petersfield Road is complete (forming part of National Cycle
Network route
NCR
22);
- Emsworth to Portsmouth via Havant and Broadmarsh is mostly
complete except between Denvilles and Havant town centre (forming
part of National Cycle Network routes
NCR
2 and
NCR
22);
- Havant to Westbourne is complete between Denvilles and
Hollybank, along Southleigh Road;
- Denmead to Waterlooville and Cowplain is complete with off road
routes along Maurepas Way and Milton Road, and a signed route
through the 20mph zone in Hart Plain Avenue;
- Park Lane Cowplain is complete as a signed on-road route;
- Emsworth north-south route is complete between Southleigh Road
and Victoria Road with a mix of on-road and off-road
facilities;
- Hayling
Billy Trail between Havant railway station and
Hayling Island (forming part of National Cycle Network Route
NCR
2) is almost
complete, with a mixture of on-street and off-street
sections. The only sections still to be completed are those
short sections leading onto Hayling Bridge.
There are also many other short sections of the routes being
completed which will eventually combine to form the comprehensive
network.
Other facilities
A more balanced choice of transport will lead to improved
conditions and greater freedom for all, rather than restrictions
which are the lot of many at present.
We worked with South West Trains to provide additional cycle
parking at Havant railway station. This seeks to establish the
station as a principal interchange point on the journey to work
using the Hayling Billy Trail as a key point of access.
The Borough Council aims to encourage cycle and motorcycle use
through the planning process.
Advice to developers regarding the expected
measures they should take to cater for cycles and motorcycles in
any of their developments is also available on this site.
More information (external web sites)