Results in 2018

This is a brief report on our activities and results in 2018.

Campaigns

  • Launched the ‘Turn the network blue’ campaign with mass launch at the Market House. Petition has 1100 supporters, 6 parish councils have written in support. Presented to Somerset County Council/Taunton Deane Borough Council (SCC/TDBC) full councils. Rebecca Pow MP is providing political support.
  • A358 Expressway. Petition submitted to Highways England (HE) in Bristol. HE are studying options for J25 in detail and seeking funding to study Taunton – Ilminster. Meeting has been promised.
  • Staplegrove (including Kingston St Mary – Town). Fruitful discussions with land promoters on various aspects. SCC have failed to provide a meeting to discuss key issues although promised twice. Have written to Cllr Woodman and action planned for 27 April 2019.
  • Great Western Railway (GWR) have introduced 30 additional cycle parking spaces at the station, following our campaign and discussions with them.
  • Articulated support for experimental closure of St James Street with impromptu flash mob in the rain. We were thanked for this. Experimental scheme expected to start in May 2019.
  • Supermarket parking. Put on hold due to workload but plan to present Lidl/Tesco with wooden spoon or broken pedal and Aldi with a golden pedal (or equivalent).
  • Station Road. Councillor Coles committed to putting forward our cycle improvement suggestions for Small Improvement Scheme funding, but didn’t. He hasn’t replied to our emails and phone messages so we don’t know what happened. However, we met Councillor Hunt, who has committed to promoting a scheme under the next round of funding.
  • Commented on a variety of proposals including Rowbarton gyratory.

Projects

  • Foxglove Trail launched in Bike week with leaflet, way marking and launch ride. Way marking is often vandalised at a limited number of locations (mainly in middle class areas).
  • Application for GWR funding not successful.
  • Application for Road Safety Trust funding successful. Project includes bikeability training, close pass hi viz materials, close pass signs and bike camera to load footage onto police website.
  • Funding secured for feasibility study of Wellington-Taunton cycle route and study scope agreed with Sustrans.
  • Took Councillor Woodman (SCC, Transport lead) on tour of cycling infrastructure and design problems.

Collaborative working

  • TACC surveys/data used to input into Local cycling and walking infrastructure plan (LCWIP). Review of network session using City Science report.
  • Liaison group with SCC Road Safety and Police. We have been pushing for ‘close pass’ campaign but police are not supportive of free standing campaign. They ran an operation on Station Road in response to high collision rate there but only really focussed on footway cycling – a major missed opportunity. Generally disappointed with lack of progress.
  • Survey of students at Taunton Academy resulting in advisory 20 mph zone and other areas of collaborative work.
  • Meeting and support to Bishops Lydeard cycle route group.
  • Support and advice in setting up of Bridgwater Area Cycling Campaign.

Promotion

  • TACC had stalls at 5 events. Supporters have grown to 700.
  • Approximately 12 newsletters sent out and regular postings on Facebook and Twitter.