HarBUG – February News

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 Hello, things have been very busy over the past month so it is time to bring everyone up to date with the latest developments.

 

 

 

 

  Spring Cycle to Work Day

The Spring cycle to work day will be on Wednesday 2nd April. Please put the date in your diary.

As in previous years we will be running escorted rides into work from Abingdon, Didcot and Wantage / Grove.

More details soon.

 

  
 Corporate Sponsor News
 

Thanks to STFC for supporting HarBUG with a donation. 

 

We are proposing to use this money to offer free cycle lessons across the campus and for publicity to raise the profile of cycling on the campus.  We will be sorting out details soon.

  Maintenance on Cycle Routes                

               
The County Council are bidding for a sum of money to use for repairs on Science Vale cycle routes. 

We have been asked to draw up a list of maintenance tasks we would like to see carried out.

Please could you email any issues / ideas to secretary@harbug.org.uk. Before you do please note the following:

  • We don’t need to highlight any issues on the Winnaway as it is due to be upgraded and extended.

  • We have already listed the final stretch of route 544 into the Campus from the Wantage direction. We are following two other funding options for this.

  •  We have already listed the route 544 Hagbourne Hill section from the A34 bridge to the A4185. The Tarmaced section also needs attention due to the use by Thames Water contractors.

  •  We should include minor modifications to existing routes, although they may not be included it is useful to let the council know of any issues.

  •  We can try and include road problems but not potholes, which are probably the biggest maintenance problem. Potholes should be reported at http://fixmystreet.oxfordshire.gov.uk

Update on Consultations & Planning 

A34 Chilton Interchange

Further to the earlier post we have now sent in our objection to the A34 Chilton Interchange project which can be found here: HarBUG Response to A34 Chilton Interchange Upgrade

To recap we are not against the project but object to the design of the roundabouts on the junction and the effect it will have on the Hagbourne Hill road traffic and in particular the Chilton Road into Upton which forms part of the Sustrans 544 route. We have also asked for the A34 link route south of the Campus to be considered in these proposals.

Winnaway Upgrade

We will be meeting the County Council’s Engineer next week to go through the planned proposals for the Winnaway.

We have questions on the design of the Harwell village end of the route and want to confirm surfacing and drainage specifications.

If you have any questions please contact us web@harbug.org.uk

We also met last week with the Campus management to go through both consultations. 

RAL Space Building R100

A planning application has gone into Vale of White Horse Council (P14/V0236/EZ)for a new RAL space building on Fermi Avenue. HarBUG has decided to put in an objection on the following grounds:

  • There are not enough cycle stands being provided.

  •  The shower and changing provision are inadequate.

  •  From the plans it looks like one of the paths used for cycling will be reduced in width for pedestrian use only.

  • The transport assessment, submitted as part of the application, states that only cyclists who travel 5km or less need to be considered. This ignores cyclists from Wantage, Grove and Abingdon, which clearly does not reflect the cycling needs of the Campus.