Seven Hills Road Cyclist's Access
Please see below for the information provided by Surrey County Council about how cyclists can access Seven Hills Road during the closure periods.
Seven Hills Road Closure for Southern Gas Networks
Arrangements for CyclistsThe impending closure of Seven Hills Road to vehicular traffic has presented a challenge for cyclists wishing to access the road during these times off the Byfleet Road.
The traffic management required to close the road is complex and I have been in discussions with SGN and their contractor who is installing the signs and temporary traffic signals, to ensure every consideration is given to all users of the highway around the work area.Currently, cyclists have the benefit of the permanent traffic signals giving a separate facility for a right turn from the eastern approach (Painshill). When Seven Hills Road is closed at the junction with the Byfleet Road this facility is lost.
The Temporary Traffic Regulation Order to close the road states that pedestrians, equestrians and residents will be allowed access at all times. Whilst this allows for use of the footway adjacent to the works the carriageway will not be available until beyond the working area. Discussions between residents and SGN have resulted in certain local agreements be reached around differing lengths and areas of work.
The closure over the new year period makes it more difficult for cyclists accessing Seven Hills Road as they will be have to dismount and wheel their bicycles along the available footway until they are able to remount where they consider it safe and lawful.
For cyclists wishing to access Seven Hills Road from Byfleet (the western approach) it is a simple matter of dismounting and wheeling their bicycles along the restricted length before remounting.
For cyclists wishing to access from the Painshill side (the eastern approach) different phases of the works will see distinct traffic management layouts being set out.
The first phase of the closure will require cyclists wishing to access Seven Hills Road from the east, Painshill, turning left into Seven Hills Road South and then approaching the temporary traffic signal head so that a ‘demand’ is made to stop traffic along the Byfleet Road giving them time to go straight across Byfleet Road, dismount, wheel their bicycles along the footway until they are able to remount on the carriageway. This is anticipated for Monday the 28th and Tuesday 29th.
The second and third phases of the closure, Wednesday through Sunday, do not allow for this action. It is essential that the work area is protected from the point of view of the safety of the workforce, which means restricting any through access immediately inline with Seven Hills Road. There will be the opportunity for cyclists to ‘filter’ right into the coned off area before reaching area completely closed by the red and white separator blocks.
There will be a 30 MPH speed limit imposed along this section of the Byfleet Road at all times that Seven Hills Road is closed plus the queuing associated with the Painshill Roundabout should allow an opportunity for cyclists to cross to the footway on the northern side of Byfleet Road and then wheel their bicycles until it is safe and lawful to remount.
All of the traffic management will be removed in readiness for Monday 4th reopening of the roads.
When the next phases of the work commence over the Easter Holidays, 29th March through to 11th April and again through the summer, the traffic management will allow the arrangements used over the first phase to be used. That is for cyclists from Painshill turning left down Seven Hills Road South and coming up the temporary traffic signal head and waiting for the ‘demand’ to allow crossing of the Byfleet Road. The bottom section of Seven Hills Road will be ‘open’ for access only, so an unrestricted ride into this section of the road until the closed section is reached when a dismount and wheel action will be required.
I know that there have been concerns raised about this access but I hope that all who wish to use these methods use their judgement to find it a suitable and safe way to continue on their journey.
The initial closure over the Christmas and New Year holidays will give me a chance to evaluate how these measures meet the projected demands by cyclists and what other measures, if any, I need to consider when the longer periods of closure are in place over the Easter and Summer period.
22nd Dec 2009
