I am the Publisher for the Community Website for the Locks Heath area – LocksHeathPeople. I was wondering if you would like to advertise your organised cycle rides on the website?

You may also be interested in the local news story about the Warsash/Swanwick Hamble footpath. This has historically been used by cyclists for many years, but has recently been made ‘No Cycling’ by the Council. A local Group – CATS – have organised a Campaign to appeal this decision and upgrade the Footpath to a Cycle Route. They need help! Full story is here: http://www.locksheathpeople.co.uk/news/CATS-bikes-Formal-Campaign-Cycling-ban-Locks-Heath-8217-s-Warsash-Swanwick-Footpath/article-1560908-detail/article.html

Tina Garner
Community Publisher

There’s plenty in this conflict to interest the newspapers!

The Daily Echo printed a story and photograph on Friday, and it’s on the web at
http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/4788950.Angry_backlash_over_cycle_ban/
(I wonder whether “the National Association of Cyclists” means CTC?)

For a more detailed and helpful piece of reporting, see
http://www.locksheathpeople.co.uk/news/CATS-bikes-Formal-Campaign-Cycling-ban-Locks-Heath-8217-s-Warsash-Swanwick-Footpath/article-1560908-detail/article.html

The police notice banning cycling has now been removed (4th December), but the county no cycling sign remains. These notices on the Warsash residents forum is a wonderful example of how to gather evidence to prove that a footpath should be converted to a bridleway or restricted byway. There are several more similar ones in the county. we need to do the same for these, but where is the most appropiate web forum to do this?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8401344.stm

http://www.hantsiowcaddie.gov.uk where you have to select a “new dataset” of crash data

One of the objects of the campaign to change the status of the path is to address any concerns by enabling the erection of signs warning path users of the presence of bikes, pedestrian priority etc, and to enable cycle calming measures at blind corners etc (of which there are very few on this broad gravel path with excellent visibility). This cannot be done on a ‘footpath’. Many footpaths were designated as such in the 1950s, when parish and town councils were trusted by the County to decide the status. Many of these local councils comprised land owning gentry who designated paths to suit their own narrow interests. The urgent imperatives of the modern world (carbon reduction, energy conservation, reduced traffic congestion, health promotion) are such that new ways need to be found to open up these vital shortcuts to people on bikes; narrow, selfish attitudes cannot be allowed to deter those who wish to cycle. The Rights of Way legislation (dating from 1936) is impossibly archaic in the modern context.

The good news is that the police have been confronted with the innaccurate, divisive and dangerous wording of their signs on the river path and they have removed them. The councillor responsible for initiating the No Cycling signs in response to the complaints of a very few landowners and pathside dwellers is now, having been made aware of the enormous demand and requirement for cycling on the path, actively encouraging the County to dedicate their parts of the path for cyclists use.

However it is still important that people who wish cyclists to continue to enjoy the right (currently by ‘presumed dedication’) to cycle the full length of the path submit evidence forms to enable a change to ‘restricted byway’ status. Forms can be downloaded from locksheath people.co.uk