Cycling England

Woking’s compact size and the proximity of its outlying residential areas make it an attractive place to invest in cycling. Woking Borough stretches from Brookwood in the west to Byfleet in the east, a total distance of about eight miles, with Woking town centre approximately in the middle. Modern Woking grew up around its railway station, which is now one of the busiest in Surrey with almost eight million passengers passing through it in 2008/09.

Providing safe and convenient cycle routes, like spokes radiating out from the hub of the town centre and station, along with improved cycle facilities, is an important part of Woking’s plans to provide attractive alternatives to the car. A wide range of marketing and communications tactics have been employed to promote new and upgraded routes and attract people to cycling. For example the cycle paths have been given a ‘Planets’ theme based on War of the Worlds by HG Wells, who was a resident of Woking during the late 1800s.

One of the team’s biggest achievements so far is reversing the ban on cycling within the town centre. This has made it easier and more attractive for residents to travel by bike. Following this decision, CCTV has been extended to cover existing and new cycle parking facilities within the town centre to ensure greater security for residents who choose to cycle.

Cycle Woking has completed work on a number of infrastructure schemes, including improving almost 12 kilometres of the towpath along the Basingstoke Canal, the Parley Drive off-road link from Lockfield Drive and the Brookwood Country Park link to the Basingstoke Canal - used by cyclists and walkers. Work on key cycle routes will continue into 2010 with an aim to improve and create links to local neighbourhoods and schools.

The team is currently working on the design of three potential bridges and a boardwalk, with construction planned for 2010. These structures will allow for a continuous off-road walking and cycle facility at Chobham Road Bridge, Kiln Bridge and a canal crossing facility west of Hermitage Road Bridge, improving access where the canal towpath changes sides – making it safer for cyclists using this route.

A substantial increase in the number of cycle parking facilities was achieved during autumn 2009, with almost 200 new spaces created in the covered and lit area of Peacock Walk in the centre of town and 80 spaces provided at Commercial Way. Both of these areas are close to Woking railway station and will help those who would like to travel to the station by bike. Plans are being developed by Cycle Woking and South West Trains to substantially increase the cycle parking facilities at the railway station, which should enable the construction of a ‘bike building’ during 2010.

New cycle parking facilities have also recently been installed in parks and playgrounds within Woking. Many of these areas are located adjacent to, or close to, one of the designated cycle routes. Continuing provision will also be made for community cycle parking facilities at doctors, dentists, local health centres and schools - with facilities at five local schools completed during 2009. The aim is to provide parking for a minimum of 10 per cent of students at each school.

A bike recycling ‘hub’ was created during the summer of 2009, using the Local Community Centre at Lakeview, located in a deprived area of Woking. This is a community based project allowing local people to recycle/repair bikes, so they can take up cycling, or get back on their bikes.

Visit www.cyclewoking.org.uk for more information.