St David's 2 - light at the end of the tunnel

St David's 2 - light at the end of the tunnel?

Nov 2002 Campaign members attended the unveiling of the City Centre Strategy which outlined the St. David's 2 shopping centre development (SD2). In the months that followed the Campaign met Dominic O'Rourke of SD2 a number of times to talk about the loss of The Hayes > Hayes Bridge Road and west end of Bridge Street as cycle routes. Cordial meetings, but we got nowhere. Mid-2003, the Planning Committee approved the plans with a clause saying cyclists will be excluded. Spring 2005, spurred by press releases declaring SD2 would improve cycling facilities when the reverse was actually the case, the Campaign published the leaflet 'New City Centre: St David's 2 Cyclists 0'. This got things moving, including a question in open Council.

Next the Campaign met the developers in their new Hayes offices. No offer at first to compensate for the loss of the cross-city routes. Our protestations were met with 'these routes pass through principal areas of public realm'. The implication being 'no chance'. They rejected the suggestion of a two way E-W cycle lane along the north side of Bute Terrace, but were positive to using the Hills Street and Barrack Lane diversion. They would go with cyclists sharing pedestrian areas only if it came from the Council.

In July we met with the Council Leader and Chief Executive - Rodney Berman and Byron Davies - with other Councillors, Corporate Directors and Officers - evidently a meeting at the highest possible level. They were affable, upbeat and convincingly keen to work with the Campaign to introduce changes to improve cycling. How far this was genuine, history will tell.

We left with the Council stating they -
1) would change the 2003 decision on "no cycling in the pedestrian areas".
2) wanted cycling 'designed in' to the development and would accept our suggestion to have 'dismount' and walk at pinch points and during high density pedestrian flows. .
3) agreed to expedite publication of a long-promised document on city centre cycle routes

A week later (things really moving now) the Campaign, together with Sustrans, met a number of Council officers responsible for road design and SD2 and were told -

Cycling is not to be banned in The Hayes - quite the contrary, they hope
The intention is to repeal some cycling restrictions City Wide.
'SD2 has become the Catalyst for reducing Cycling restrictions
A cycling route will be created from the remains of Bridge Street through Barrack Lane to Hills Street, probably with ‘cyclists dismount’ along a short section.
there will be an increase in cycle stands, many to be placed near shop entrances.
Council will consider having cycling filters at light-controlled junctions of Bute Terrace with Churchill Way and Mary Ann Street.
Council will consider contra-flow cycling on Sandon Street > Guildford Crescent.
Council will investigate possibility of a two cycle lane, E-W along the north side of Bute Terrace

In summary – victory for our high profile efforts. Let’s keep up the pressure till there’s tarmac on the ground!