Monday 24 October 2011

How will the kids cycle to the swimming pool?

The Masterplan for the Heygate Estate is out for consultation - deadline 1st November - and this plan shows the cycle access:
Blue – signed cycle lanes on busy routes

Purple - recommended cycle routes
Dotted light blue – Further routes available to cyclists

The big building, that you can't cycle to, on the left of the railway lines is the Elephant & Castle shopping centre. Further to the left of that, over the main roads, is the leisure centre imminently (at last) to be redeveloped as a shiny new swimming pool. Why on earth doesn't the Masterplan have a quick and easy cycle path from the new Heygate via the shopping centre direct to the pool, allowing kids to safely make their own way their (or cycle with granny if the kids aren't allowed to swim without an adult)?

I also understand that currently no crossing is planned to facilitate the, currently banned, right hand turn from the Walworth Road into Elephant Road (that runs parallel to the shopping centre and forms the obvious cycle bypass).

I think the Masterplanners need to get back to the drawing board / Apple. Constructive comments can be emailed to heygate@soundingsoffice.com before 1st November.