Freedom
of Information Requests
Mr Fishwick's
dissmissive and patronising response to an initial request to
understand how Fishwick Island came about and an invitation to meet up
and discuss the island led us to send Freedom of Information requests
to Surrey County Council. This answers to these requests are published
here.
Surrey
County Council
Q. I would like to see the results of
surveys taken, including times of day during which observations were
made.
A.
Direct from a spreadsheet.
| Date |
Time |
Comments |
Officer(s) |
| 16/09/2009 |
1230-1300 |
Meeting with John
Grimshaw (Infrastructure Advisor to Cycling England Board) - No more
than two vehicles at any one time in right hand turn lane. A number of
pedestrians/cyclists crossed at 'proposed island' location. |
PMF |
| 29/01/2010 |
0630-45 |
Early morning
observations noted no more than one vehicle turning right in anyone
phase. Peds/cyclists crossing on 'desire' line from canal towpath. |
PMF |
| 12/02/2010 |
0815-0900 |
Early morning
observations noted no more than one vehicle turning right in anyone
phase. Peds/cyclists crossing on 'desire' line from canal towpath. |
JAM |
| 15/02/2010 |
0800-15 |
Early morning
observations noted no more than one vehicle turning right in anyone
phase. Peds/cyclists crossing on 'desire' line from canal towpath. |
JAM/PMF |
| 15/02/2010 |
1500-30 |
Noted no more than
one vehicle in right turn in anyone phase. Peds/cyclists crossing on
'desire' line from canal towpath. |
JAM/PMF |
| 26/02/2010 |
0630-45 |
Early morning
observations noted no more than one vehicle turning right in anyone
phase. Peds/cyclists crossing on 'desire' line from canal towpath. |
PMF |
| 21/03/2010 |
1000-1100 |
Noted that
generally island is veing used by cyclists from canal path and also
those accessing from Bagshot Road. Pedestrian usage also noted. Minimal
vehicular right turn movements. |
DME |
| 24/03/2010 |
1100-1200 |
Noted that
generally island is veing used by cyclists from canal path and also
those accessing from Bagshot Road. Pedestrian usage also noted. Minimal
vehicular right turn movements. |
DME |
| 26/03/2010 |
0630-45 |
Early morning
observations noted no more than one vehicle turning right in anyone
phase. Peds/cyclists crossing at new island from canal towpath. |
PMF |
| 06/04/2010 |
1430-45 |
Early afternnon
observation noted no more than two vehicles turning right in anyone
phase. Peds/cyclists crossing at new crossing point. |
JAM |
| 08/04/2010 |
1030-1100 |
Noted that
generally island is veing used by cyclists from canal path and also
those accessing from Bagshot Road. Pedestrian usage also noted. Minimal
vehicular right turn movements. |
DME |
| 14/04/2010 |
0715-0730 |
Noted that
generally island is veing used by cyclists from canal path and also
those accessing from Bagshot Road. Pedestrian usage also noted. Minimal
vehicular right turn movements. |
DME |
Q.
What consultations were made with local
residents?
A.
As
per the County Council policy on consultation we consulted with Surrey
Police.
In addition to the policy we consulted with the Total garage.
Q.
What consultations were made with Woking
Borough Council?
A. Woking
Borough Council form part of the Cycle Woking partnership.
Q.
What consultations were made with the Total
garage as they have witnessed problems?
A. They
were visited in person on 15 February 2010, and they were written to on
16
February 2010 and sent a plan of the proposal. They have not contacted
us since
the island was installed raising any concerns.
Q.
Communications between various departments
within Surrey County Council regarding this crossing.
A. The
following departments were consulted on the proposed island. Traffic
Systems
and Safer Smarter Travel, Road Safety Audit, Surrey Highways (Woking).
Q.
What other options were considered (such as
signs on the canal path)?
A. Consideration
was given to diverting pedestrians and cyclists to the existing
crossing
facility at the junction. However, this was rejected due to the time
delays
getting to and crossing the road at this point.
Q.
If there were any objections to the scheme and
who made them?
A. There
were no objections to the planned scheme.
Q.
What consultations were made with the South
East Coast Ambulance Service?
A. As
per Surrey County Council’s policy none.
Cycling
England
Fishwick
Island was built using funds from Cycling England (a quango with the
aim of promoting safe cycling - which has a very worthwhile brief in
our opinion). In addition we have a issued a freedom of information
request to Cycling England to understand aspects of the island.
Q. What
consultations Cycling England would have had with Surrey County Council
and other interested groups (including any general guidelines)?
A.
As the funding body for Cycle
Woking, we invited Cycle Woking (as well as other Cycling
Cities and Towns across England) to bid for further improvements they
could make to their plans in September 2009, as part of a mid-year
review process. This scheme was one of the requests made by Cycle
Woking, which was approved by Sadiq Khan MP (along
with numerous other requests from across the country) in
November 2009. The purpose of the scheme is to improve links
to the Basingstoke Canal towpath, which is the flagship scheme
currently being delivered by Cycle Woking.
Q.
What consultations Cycling England is
currently having with Surrey County Council about Fishwick Island?
A. Cycling
England is not currently involved in any 'consultations' with Surrey
County Council about this particular scheme. As the funding body, we
advise and support Cycling Towns in their implementation of the
infrastructure schemes, following our Design Checklist and the
Infrastructure Toolkit for Cycling Towns, which is available on our
website: http://www.dft.gov.uk/cyclingengland/enginerring-planning/infrastructure-for-cyclists
Through our Professional Support Team, Cycling England has given
presentations to Cycle Woking during the past 18 months on good
practice in infrastructure design and delivery, and we have no concerns
at present about Cycle Woking's ability to deliver high quality schemes.
Q.
How much money was spent on Fishwick Island? If monies came from
multiple sources, then the amount of public money spent on the
works.
A. Cycling
England provided £25,000 (via the Department for
Transport) to Cycle Woking to build the A322 Bagshot Road pedestrian /
cycle crossing. The
cost to date for this scheme is £15,000, although solar panals are
still to be fitted. |