mattpritchard

Mahle eBikemotion X35 is a common motor/battery system found on many current road/gravel/hybrid ebikes: this would be a good option to support. Is there any further news on this topic generally, btw ?

Yes please Kevin: this is a great shame to lose this route which many of us have used respectfully for many years and provides a crucial safe link to routes south of the Ridgeway. As you say, hopefully this will strengthen the case for the Chilton – Bury Down link.

Only that it sounded like it would only serve a few people, so I mentioned about all the [new] residents of Chilton who might also benefit, for transport or leisure activities. They commented that the along-the-side-of-the-A34 option would be hampered by the cost of traffic management during any works. They only have a tiny budget, targetted at Science Vale transport.
But they were interested, and asked me to email them a screenshot of the map I showed them, which I did (along with the somewhat fanciful suggestion of it being part of a “campus bike ring-road with multiple access points” (…worth a try, anyway). They welcomed further comments from people (on all relevant issues) to southandvale@oxfordshire.gov.uk

See this article regarding similar situation in London: reminding the contractor of cyclists’ legal right to use the road got them to change the signs:
http://road.cc/content/news/130401-cyclists-dismount-no-thanks-says-rider-who-persuaded-contractor-change-signs

I’d also like to see more (official) provision for cycling links to the South, too. The 2 roundabouts proposed seem quite “asymmetric” which makes it harder for observation & road positioning if you’re taking the long route round the circle. I also don’t quite buy the argument that adding the extra slip road will alleviate pressure elsewhere. History tends to suggest that increasing road capacity anywhere just creates more traffic. Of course if the same logic were applied to cycling provision…

Peter_Boo: Unofficially (and apparently by permission of the landowner to commuters on site) several of us use the farmer’s track across the field linking the road down from West Ilsley/Bury Down to the road alongside Chilton School. This is mostly an unmetalled track, but is a bit muddy in places and you need good lights to ride it in the dark. I ride it on a normal road bike but with 25c Schwalbe Marathon Plus tyres (and mudguards) and just about get away with it.