Jan 2007: Response to Wimbledon Greenways Consultation

General Statement of Support

1. Merton Cycling Campaign (MCC) fully supports the concept of providing a network of attractive green walking and cycling routes and other measures to allow walking and cycling to the Wimbledon tournament and the tennis event in 2012.

2. In particular, MCC supports the permanent legacy that this project will leave. Wimbledon, and the AELTC, are year-round destinations for all sorts of visitors (for instance to the lawn tennis museum) so it would be wrong to be planning temporary measures just for 2012.

3. MCC will fully engage with the project's steering group members over the next few years to ensure that we get the very best we can out of it for cyclists.

The Process

The ‘Green CRISP’ process referred to in the report is to be introduced by the CCE and delivered by Mayer Brown as consultant. For the sake of aiding the path through consultation can we ask for reports that are easy to read, with simple summaries and minimum padding. And if no statistical data is available, for a particular area, an educated qualitative observation is extremely helpful.

Specific points

MCC has few specific points to make, given that the nature of the feasibility document is at this stage necessarily broad-brush. However we would like to raise the following points at this early opportunity:

Road closures (to cars)

If we want to achieve substantial modal shift towards walking and cycling to the AELTC, we must consider sticks as well as carrots. As well as enhancing the modes we want to encourage, we should put in measures to discourage driving to the tennis. To this end, car parking at the AELTC should be cut to a minimum (eg for Blue Badge holders), and consideration should be given to widespread road closures (to cars) in the vicinity of the Club (with access maintained for residents only) for the duration of the games in 2012, reinstated annually thereafter for the Wimbledon fortnight tennis championships. A large car free zone around the tennis would be a real magnet for walkers and cyclists, and a hugely positive statement by the Mayor and his organisers, strongly underpinning the expressed and oft-repeated goal that London 2012 are the greenest OG ever staged.

Residential road sharing

Where the Greenways might share residential roads, we fully support the use of lower speed limits (20mph) and HomeZones. MCC has long campaigned for a borough-wide 20mph speed limit. LCC (our parent body) supports 20mph as a standard speed limit across London.

Wimbledon to Raynes Park link

We are delighted that the planned routes include the Wimbledon to Raynes Park railway path upgrade to shared use (pages 21 and 22). MCC has campaigned for this obvious link in the local cycle network since, it seems, time immemorial!

Cycle parking

1. The document states that cycle parking will be essential, but makes no attempt at estimating how much cycle parking should be provided (page 10). The busiest days of the annual tennis tournament attract 45,000 people. Therefore permanent high quality cycle parking provision (secure and covered) should aim to cater for 10% of these spectators.

2. What are the "security concerns" with cycle parking? Such concerns have been greatly exaggerated over the years, to the detriment of easy cycle parking in Westminster for example. We would deplore the import of such nonsensical non-evidence based concerns to this borough. Cycle parking provision must be made available as close as possible to the venue to enhance its appeal to potential users. Making cyclists park a substantial distance away would mitigate against maximizing the numbers of people cycling to the venue.

Cycle Hire

We note the emphasis on Cycle Hire and agree that Wimbledon Station in particular is uniquely placed for such a facility to be hugely useful for the tennis if backed by the publicity proposed in the report. Merton Cycling Campaign would welcome that their current negotiations for a major manned cycle parking/support facility be co-ordinated with the Greenway intentions.

Link to Wimbledon Station.

For tennis bound cyclists from Wimbledon Station the link to the Greenway at Woodside requires work to find a cycle friendly connection. We feel this is an important link for the success of AELTC Greenways and should be included.

The ‘Wandle and Merton Parks Circular’.

This has potential to be a hugely beneficial long-term recreational amenity for Merton in particular, both for pedestrians and cyclists. The proposed link between the Wandle and Wimbledon Common, via the Tennis and its Museum, is of particular importance. The North South arm parallel to the Wandle Route from Wimbledon Common down through St Georges Fields and Morden Park and on to Reigate Avenue is greatly to be supported. The annotation and integration of the bottom of the loop is not adequately established on the report maps and we would encourage this important connection to be highlighted.

Cycling to AELTC.

While disappointed that it does not apply to the Annual Tennis we strongly support reduced rate tickets for those who arrive at the Olympics on a bicycle. The hideous traffic snarl-up that accompanies the tennis affects a much larger area than just round the venue itself. This report is right in saying that sufficient numbers cycling to the tennis will ‘help keep south-west London moving’.

Wimbledon Park

The section from the gates on Home Park Road to the Revelstoke Road car park is officially non-cycling.  However this is a clear desire line between Wimbledon Village and Earlsfield, and is an obvious route to the tennis avoiding having to go up and down the hill.  The Greenways programme should incorporate this route for upgrading to shared use, i.e. some widening is required both for the path itself and the little bridge over the stream by the café in the middle of the park.

Integration with other modes: Tramlink & Thameslink

MCC applauds the objective (page 9) of increasing provision for cycles on local train services. However the consultation overlooks two major modes into Wimbledon: Tramlink and Thameslink. Tramlink bans cycles at all times. TfL runs the trams and, as the main sponsor and funder of the Greenways project should take the opportunity to review this nonsensical ban.

Thameslink - Haydons Road station would be a useful station to link to on this line, thus bringing in cyclists and walkers from as far afield as Brighton and Bedford.

Putney Station should also be linked in, extending the catchment area to Reading.

It seems an unrealistic expectation that cyclists will alight from trains at Clapham Junction and hire bikes to cycle to AELTC from there when there are trains every few minutes from Clapham Junction to Wimbledon!

Barriers on Wandle Trail

Merton Council has recently, without consultation of local cycling or disabled groups, installed barriers across the Wandle Trail at two points in Ravensbury Park, in a misconceived effort to prevent youth motorcycling on the trail. Had MCC been consulted, we would have advised much more effective ways of dealing with this menace. The barriers are extremely cycle-unfriendly, and probably illegal under the DDA (pending court action). Since the Wandle Trail forms a major part of the Greenways network, the project partners must prioritise the