Seven Hills Road will be closed to motor vehicles from 29th March until 11th April. It will however remain open to cyclists during this period.
There will be no special provisions or signage and cyclists may have to dismount and use the footway from time to time along the route.
The right turn from Byfleet Road into Seven Hills Road will be problematic and cylists are advised to turn left into Seven Hills Road South, perform a U-turn and then cross Byfleet Road using the traffic lights.
While there is no motor traffic on Seven Hills Road it’s a delightful ride, well worth enjoying at it best.
Councillor Ian Lake has provided the following information:
“The road will be open to cyclists at all time. The carriageway will be closed for lengths at a time so this will only be achieved by use of the footway and so at those times cyclists will have to dismount and push their bicycles until there is unobstructed carriageway for them to use to continue their ride.
It is not intended to provide specific signs for cyclists about access. It may be beneficial to provide signs telling cyclists to dismount where necessary, at the extremities of the works site and I will be discussing option this with Southern Gas Networks. The use of this standard sign will allow it to be repositioned each time the site location changes.
Cycling will not be permitted on the footways. There will be gaps in the barriers at certain locations but these are not intended to be for cyclists alone. The traffic management must be robust to prevent vehicles getting into Seven Hills Road. As the footway will always be open, I trust cyclists will use their own judgement about how and when to access the footway.
I am aware that it may not be clear how cyclists will access Seven Hills Road from the Byfleet Road if approaching from Painshill. I believe there are two possible options, one by turning into Seven Hills Road South and then using the traffic signals to cross the road, the other by dismounting and crossing the road on foot pushing the bicycle when considered safe to do so.
I must stress whatever manoeuvres cyclists take is entirely at their risk assessment of the traffic and conditions. Surrey County Council cannot be held responsible on how to direct cyclists at the junction.
Cyclists coming from Byfleet will just have to dismount and push their bicycles along the footway into Seven Hills Road.”
Burhill Golf and Leisure Limited have given consent to cyclists to use Convent Lane, subject to the usual caveats. They have issued the following statement, although it is not clear whether SCC have provided the requested indemnifications:
“In principle, Burhill Golf and Leisure Limited is prepared to grant consent for cyclists to use Convent Lane during the periods of closure of the Seven Hills Road, subject to the following conditions:
1. Anyone using Covent Lane does so at their own risk and Burhill Golf and Leisure Limited nor Notre Dame School will not take any responsibility for any injury to themselves or others or damage to any belongings suffered by anyone using Convent Lane. Burhill Golf and Leisure Limited and Notre Dame School will require written confirmation that Surrey County Council will indemnify both companies against any claims that arise.
2. Anyone using Convent Lane must not stray from the tarmaccadam road surface.
3. That this temporary consent does not construe any other right whatsoever to those using Convent Lane and does not permit or create any permanent right of way of any sort and the right of use can be terminated at anytime by Burhill Golf and Leisure Limited without the need for the service of a notice.
4. Consent is only granted for those days that Seven Hills Road is actually closed.”