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MCCF Proposals
Cycle Gyratory in Central Maidstone
The Sustrans report “Walking and Cycling Assessment - Maidstone” April 2018 gives many recommendations for improvements to basic infrastructure in the town. The hub of many routes, and the hub of most traffic passing through the town is the Gyratory – consisting of the Broadway and St Peter’s Bridges. In reality, most cycle journeys in Maidstone will encounter this Gyratory, and the cyclist will be faced with very poor, unsafe and inadequate facilities.
The MCCF have reviewed the Sustrans report and endorse the majority of the recommendations for the improvements it proposes. To provide these real improvements for the safety of cyclists and walkers in Maidstone will require a sustained level of funding over many years to achieve them, but the result will be a safe infrastructure for all to use and that will encourage many more cyclists, including the growing number of e-cyclists onto the streets. Health and environmental air quality improvements are obvious together with a reduction in local road users as more take to their bikes and feet.
However, the Sustrans report, section A6, that tackles the Gyratory, does not recognise its importance to the cycling network as a whole, linking together many of the other routes in the town. The MCCF believe that the Gyratory is the hub, and we would like to see this improved as a high priority, linking and knitting together the other routes. Once this has been completed, the other Sustrans improvements could then be prioritised and implemented (provided adequate funding provision over a set timescale is allocated by MBC and KCC).
Our proposal is that the Sustrans proposal A6 is revised to become instead a “Cycle Gyratory” for the town. We would ask that MBC seek Sustrans views on this. Motorised traffic already has the facility, we propose similar for cyclists. In brief, the idea is a generally one way route, crossing both bridges in the same direction as motorised traffic and linked together using existing subways, ramps and paths (the majority of which already exist) so that cyclists, walkers and motorists can circulate to their ongoing routes and destinations, in safety, and with minimal interference between the groups.
Next Steps
MCCF have shared their proposals with Kent County Council and await their response.
Download our detailed proposals using link at the bottom of this page.
Medway Towpath
The Current Challenges
The substantial investment in the Medway Towpath routes have provided a welcome commuting and leisure route between Aylesford to Maidstone and Barming to Maidstone. However, the link between the two sections is challenging and tortuous. MCCF have developed proposals to ‘join’ the two sections using additional lengths of the east bank towpath Ringlestone to the town centre and St Peter’s Bridge to Whatman Park using the west bank towpath.
Our Proposals
The Gyratory proposals address some of the challenges. MCCF’s proposals going forward will pave the way for a future change of the Towpath cycle route as it goes through Maidstone. The current route runs along the east bank of the river, and it includes a long dismount section (between Millennium Bridge and Medway Street underpass), dangerous blind spots, very low bridges and an impractical detour away from the river at Medway Street underpass and into National Route 17 until it re-joins the Towpath at the bottom of Moncktons Lane. MCCF strongly believes that the Towpath cycle route should run along the west bank.
Next Steps
MCCF has provided feedback on the draft (March) sustrans Walking and Cycling Assessment. MCCF look forward to the formal adoption of the proposals made in the 'sustrans Walking and Cycling Assessment' and working with MBC and Kent County Council on their implementation.
Towpath Challenges
Why Invest?
Why we should be investing in cycling in Maidstone for the sake of our children
Children are still more likely to own a bicycle than any other age group, but the proportion of children who own or have access to one has declined steadily over the past decade. Moreover, children are making fewer trips and cycling fewer miles than five years ago. At the same time, bicycle ownership, trips and miles have increased for older people.
Despite Britain's trumpeted sport cycling success in recent years, the proportion of people who own a bike (less than half) and adults who ride a bike (around a quarter) remain unchanged. This presents a challenge for the bicycle industry and government.
Bicycle marketing focused on high performance equipment does not reflect the cycling most people do, and is unlikely to get more people into cycling. Fear of cycling on busy roads, worry about looking silly in Lycra, anxiety over choosing and maintaining a bike: any of these is likely to deter the many people who can't, don't or won't cycle.” Fear of cycling on the road in particular is increasing, despite falling fatality rates.
Without sustained investment in infrastructure, training and other interventions to promote cycling, it is likely that parents' concerns will be transferred to their children, whose starting point we must remember is 'cycling is fun'. Nurturing this intrinsic enthusiasm is essential if cycling children are to grow into cycling adults. “Children need little encouragement to cycle, but they do need permission and support. Industry and government have a responsibility to promote and improve cycling for the vast majority of people who don't yet cycle, not just those who do.
If we are to secure the next generation for cycling, and amass all the transport and health benefits cycling offers, parents in particular must be persuaded that cycling could be, for them, an enjoyable and accessible form of family mobility.