What do YOU want for Weybridge? What changes — big or small — would most enhance our town? Any priorities for early action? Longer term wishes?
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Love the photos.
Something I think matters is having more dropped kerbs at key points, so that people who are less steady on their feet (and maybe rely on a walking frame) can get back onto the pavement rather than having to go along the road. And those dropped kerbs must be shallow enough for people to use them confidently! At present, some are simply too steep for vulnerable old people, who end up walking in the road.
We’re getting some great feedback from people, even before our new website has gone live. Some early suggestions for things that would help improve Weybridge include:
- better signage for ‘Weybridge Centre for the Community’ by Churchfields, something that would draw people towards it
- fixing the lights at the monument at Monument Green — at present NONE are working
- finally getting the long overdue footpath along the north edge Broadwater (from the Health Club towards Cowey Sale, with a footbridge across to Oatlands Drive) which has been on the cards since 2005.
I really like the photos of Weybridge.
Just a couple of thoughts for now. I would like all the residential streets to have 20mph speed limits just like Portmore Park. I would like to see many pathways opened up for responsible use for both cyclists and pedestrians.
Pavement cycling frightens pedestrians
Pavements are for pedestrians. And people using the
pavement have the right to feel safe and protected from
traffic, including bicycles.
You may feel that you are doing no harm by cycling on
the pavement. And you may feel confident that you will
not injure or hurt anyone.
But pedestrians don’t share your confidence. Because
while you know where you and your bike are going,
they do not, and may believe they are in danger.
It’s not easy for pedestrians to predict your exact route.
They could be worried about a number of things:
• Is the cyclist headed for the same area of pavement
as me?
• Has the cyclist seen me?
• Will the cyclist slow down as they get closer?
• Will the cyclist be skilled enough to avoid me if they
don’t slow down?
Cycling on the pavement can be even more threatening
to people with poor balance. Many of these people are
older or disabled and have a constant fear of falling.
Cycling on the pavement simply adds to this fear.
There is an epidemic of cyclists on the pavements in Weybridge.
Do you have any evidence to support your claim that there is an epidemic of cyclists on the pavements of Weybridge?
From observation, most cyclists use the road. Some cyclists use the pavements in areas where there are few or no pedestrians, like Seven Hills Road for example. In areas like the High Street, where there is a high concentration of pedestrians, I haven’t noticed many cyclists using the pavements.
But perhaps you have done a survey and have some empirical data that supports your claim? I suspect you don’t.
This can galvanise the community. We should all be working together to create a prosperous town which creates employment to keep youngster in the area and which gives encourages our local shops thrive. Weybridge need to build a commercial and visitor reputation. We need to people talking about the town. The “Heart of Weybridge” campaign is a wonderful opportunity to start the ball rolling.
Oxford, Portsmouth, York and Islington are experimenting with 20mph speed limits — what about Weybridge?
Traffic levels and frequent congestion reduce the quality of life in our town. Much of it is through traffic anxious only to access the M25. One unthinkable proposal is a toll on the bridge at rush hour!
Brilliant ideas and good to see an active campaign. Looking forward to better use of Weybridge Hall. Local community and organisations need another venue for meetings in our town, and this could be a real focus for a beating heart!
We need to get more control of roads and deal with growing parking problems in and around the town. At the same time we need to preserve the trees and green spaces that are left. More town maps at the station in the town and by the river! Churchfields footpaths need some lighting please.
1/ Pedestrianise Baker Street at the lower end. Create a central area for social meeting and dining.
2/ Welcome Morrisons with open arms
That has the advantage of stoping through traffic using Baker Street. Consideration will have to be taken regarding the east exit of Baker Street into Monument Hill. some people find that quite challenging.
Do any of the shops require service lorries?
Another supermarket? We already have Waitrose, a Sainsburys express and a Tesco express!
That just dont seems to be right, if Morrisons opens it will turn the high street into ghost street, so many shops will go burst. And environmently they will damage the green life of weybridge, their will be continue uses of lorry deliveries, it will create traffic around the monument hill. I am personally against it, we already have many supermarkets in weybridge, so why have one more….. If people of weybridge only wants to see restaurants, charity shops and travel agents then they should say yes for morrisons
And Tescos and Marks & Spencer.
If morrisons opens it will not just create cheap buyings for some residents but will help many shops to close down. All we will see in high street is travel agencies, restaurants, charity shops…
and not just that it will also effect the property prices in the area. I’ve seen areas where properties was higher at one point but once the supermarket opened prices felt down, because there was not much to do in the town…
We need to take better care of what we have not just look to make things different. Two examples: 1) many blocked drains / gullies around the town. To identify but one – for over a year the crossing from the cricket green to the bus stop outside Temple Market has flooded to half the width of the road after rain. 2) footpaths poorly maintained or partly obstructed by overhanging foliage & branches. The path across Churchfields is an interesting example – uneven yes but closed off for all this time with diversion through slippy,
muddy ground with protruding blocks sticking out from base of fencing. The roped off bit is no worse than many paths around the town and just a bit further on almost half the width of the path is blocked by overhanging foliage.
Would love to see the town getting back to its image of civility and “sedateness”. Id like to see slower speed limits on residential and school roads; better pavement access for those less steady on their feet; streetscene character preservation such as not being forced to have spaceage looking streetlamps; preserving green spaces and space in general by not being able to build or creating flats everywhere and anywhere; preferential parking for residents who live near the town centre and station; a return to making the town suitable for hardworking responsible families, by taking care of its family friendly amenities and keeping it clean, (such as building family homes not plethora of 1 or 2 bedroom flats and unblocking the blocked drains outside schools!); increasing the choice of schools (maybe new ones??) and nurseries; the right respect given to roads designated as unsuitable for heavy goods, or single alternate lanes; more publicity and pride in the towns history such as Brooklands museum and track, the town museum, the waterways and the monuments and its notable places.
The views expressed are very polarised. On one hand, cyclists want to use pavements to be safe; on the other pedestrians want cyclists to stay on the roads. We should urge empathy to both sides and pressure on the council to sort out the problem i.e. design and install designated cycle/pedestrian routes – would’nt you agree?
PS Do you know about the Olympic cycle talk at Weybridge Hall this evening 7.00pm