Hayling seafront regeneration

This was our feedback on the Cycling and Sustainability aspects of the Hayling Seafront Regeneration consultation, on behalf of Cycle Hayling.

We’re delighted that cycling got such a lot of mentions, but somewhat disappointed in the detail.

We found the consultation map tricky to use, and difficult to give general comments, so we sent it in as an email.

  1. It’s absolutely right to put cycling at the heart of the Hayling’s regeneration, not only for sustainability, healthy lifestyles, and the fight against climate change, but to reduce car traffic & parking.
  2. By encouraging people and families to cycle there, we also make better use of the very limited space – one car parking space can park many bikes. Money saved on petrol and parking can be spent on food and drink.
  3. But the cycle path along the front looks extremely patchy:
    a. Nothing across West Beach and east of Beachlands centre to Eastoke?
    b. If it’s along the road, it must be segregated from traffic and pedestrians and suitable for families and small children.
  4. There should be signs to encourage everyday cycling, at slow to medium pace, and discourage fast, sports cycling. And to promote priority to pedestrians.
  5. We want people to cycle to the beach, so the cycle paths mustn’t stop at Sea Front Road, they must take cyclists all the way to the beach, without long detours.
  6. And when they get there, they need good secure cycle parking:
    a. Near the beach and distributed at frequent intervals, not all in one place.
    b. With Sheffield Stands, (please, not the little insecure wheel bucklers).
    c. Wider spaces reserved for cargo bikes, which are becoming more common to transport small children and beach paraphernalia, and for trikes for older cyclists and the disabled.
    d. Higher value cargo and ebikes need extra security, possibly including charging facilities; these are just starting to emerge and Cycle Hayling is monitoring the situation.
  7. We strongly support the statements in the strategy document:
    a. “Better connections and improved public realm between the three activity hubs, through a looped network of foot and cycle paths, building upon the informal trails that already exist”.
    b. And “A clear wayfinding strategy which identifies the three hubs of activity, their locations, the respective attractions and the routes and spaces along the Hayling Island Journey.”
  8. We’d suggest additional some great additional cycle paths :
    a. From Sandy Point all the way along to West Beach.
    b. Is there an opportunity for a board walk / board cycle around Sinah Common? Nobody ever goes there, but cyclists would.
    c. Should probably have speed limit, say 10 mph.
    d. If shared paths, ‘Pedestrian priority’.
  9. And we’d extend it to the whole island, and off the whole island, and to schools, as per our response to the recent consultation on Havant’s Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan, ‘Cycle Hayling LCWIP response.pdf’.
  10. Hayling’s as flat as Holland – time to make it a mini-Holland for cycling too!