Please sign this petition to prevent Surrey County Council from removing a traffic island that was erected for the convenience and safety of cyclists using National Cycle Route 221 along the Basingstoke Canal. Follow this link to the petition: www.ipetitions.com/petition/fishwick-island/
“This refers to the traffic island by the Total Garage at Brookwood. This traffic island, which has become known as Fishwick Island (after Paul Fishwick who leads the Cycle Woking developments), is of assistance to any pedestrians or cyclists following the Basingstoke Canal towpath, particularly since the towpath downstream of the island is now on the North side of the canal rather than on the South side. Basically the island saves trekking down to the light controlled crossing at the nearby road junction to the South. That crossing usually involves waiting for 2 phases of the lights. Since the island was installed evidence shows that far more people use it than use the light controlled crossing.
Motorists objected to the island on the grounds that it caused an obstruction for Southbound traffic turning right at the lights into Connaught Road and also that some frustrated motorists went round the outside of the island which was clearly very dangerous. The council at a meeting of the Woking Local Committee in the autumn decided by a narrow majority that the island (financed by Cycle Woking money) should be removed but this has not yet been done. We recognise that there are difficulties for motorists but believe that some simple improvements would deal with these. We believe that the phasing of the lights could be changed which would ensure more cars pass Southwards freeing the right hand lane for more right-turning traffic and also that double white lines approaching the island would make clear that crossing to the other carriageway was forbidden.
Having considered these points we’d be grateful if you will sign the petition. It is our intention to present this to the next meeting of the Woking Local Committee on 9 February, but we need to let them have the completed petition by 25 January, so there is not much time. If you know of others, whether members or not, who use the island please ask them to sign the petition too.”
Please sign the petition: www.ipetitions.com/petition/fishwick-island/. Although the petition asks for your post code, to ensure that you are local, Fishwick Island is part of a National Cycle Route and so actually anyone is welcome to sign it.