Alexandra Park and Cycling, sensible Council Vote!

I'm surprised that Hastings Borough Council came to a sensible decision about having a cycle path running through Alexandra Park, as in, no cycle path approved (Sussex World). I've already expressed my opinion about this, eg in this blog, but ruining a safe environment in the park, and making it dangerous to walk, or indeed, use a wheelchair or pushchair, doesn't help the ecological problems of the world. Having cycle paths within the roads adjacent to the park, thus narrowing them, would discourage drivers to come into Hastings town centre, and more buses together with out of town parking would also help, but a cycle path through the park doesn't stop carbon emissions... 

Lower Promenade safer to walk along now?

East entry to Bottle Alley

Well, it's been made pretty obvious now that cycling along Bottle Alley and the Lower Promenade is a no-no, let's see how often it's ignored...

West entry to Lower Promenade

West entry to Bottle Alley

That is where you cycle, pretty please!

Walking along the Seafront

Well, Hastings Borough Council appears to be trying to help make walking along the seafront a pleasant experience, however, much of the Lower Promenade still allows drinking, so, OK at prominent points, no rowdy music and tins of extra strong lagers and cider, but still paces where the alcohol remains 'King!' 

Oh yes, and why isn't there a cycle path between Warrior Square and the end of Robertson Street on the Upper Promenade anymore, it becomes quite anarchic on a sunny day, and will be even more so when the summer arrives?!? And why are people allowed to ride cycles along the Lower Promenade and through Bottle Alley, isn't one cycle path/shared pedestrian area and the road enough for cyclists?!? With the covering up of the 'No Cycling' message near the Pier, there's nothing preventing cyclists, or as a good friend of mine who is a cyclist says, "people riding bikes" making even the Lower Promenade and Bottle Alley unsafe and not a pleasure to promenade along!

Dangerous Cycle Path at the Pier?

Make your own mind up... is this dangerous, or is it not? The cycle path, such as it is marked, is on the road side of the path from the Pier and to the west, and on the road side from the Pier to the east, but, immediately in front of the Pier it is up against the gates, and remember, you are not allowed to ride a cycle onto the Pier!

Methinks someone made a mistake whilst painting these signs...

A walk through Alexandra Park

Yesterday, I had a nice peaceful wander through Alexandra Park, before cyclists start thundering through the quiet and ensure a less pleasing experience! Ironically, on entering through the gate in the South West corner is the peace memorial, built after the First World War. Incidentally, there is an ongoing online petition against the cycle route...   

At the moment, there is a water quality improvement project going ahead to ensure a better aquatic environment, in a park with many lakes and reservoirs.  

Bandstand

Cafe

Alexandra Park was laid out in 1877 by Robert Marnock, already well known for designing the Botanical Gardens in London's Regents Park, and on the site of the 1830s Shirley Gardens, it covers 109 acres, and is a Grade II designated site in the Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest. The eponymous Alexandra Park was opened in 1882 by the then Princess of Wales (later Edward VII's Queen Alexandra).   

Peace Garden

Miniature Railway

Dan Radcliffe, better known for the miniature railway down at the Stade in the old town, has painstakingly renovated the Park's miniature railway, which has only just reopened; great to see this resource reopen in Hastings, nice one Dan! 

Walking through some parts of the park you can imagine walking in the countryside, and not the centre of Hastings town! There are many rare and beautiful trees, and bird song filled the air as I carried on through the park. Garden birds dominate the songs, with Song Thrushes, Robins, and Blackbirds, the obvious voices, but Wrens, Tits, and even Nuthatches can be seen regularly too.

Although, ducks are seen on the various waters, this being Hastings, gulls are more prevalent, though other aquatic birds do live in the park, water fowl, such as Coots and Moorhens, for example, and you may be lucky and see a beautiful Kingfisher too; indeed, Swans, Herons, Cormorants, and even an odd Bittern or two may appear now and then! 

If you carry on Northwards, you will reach, later added, and even wilder, Coronation Wood, Little Roar Waterfall and Old Roar Ghyll, for a greater taste of nature...

I enjoyed my day! If you would like to find out more about Alexandra Park, or become involved with the Friends of Alexandra Park, have a look at their website.

Cycling Further... and response to HowAboutNo

Yes, indeed, the previous, but one, blog's photographs were taken on the other side of the road, and not too far from the Carlisle, though not such a conflicting a scenario as you appear to remember... I took these photographs this morning at about 06.30 from here, and it was a wee bit wet, so not too bright a morning!  

You suggested the "markings just stop", though these 2 photographs show they do not 'just stop'. On the floor there is a clear depiction of a cycle, leading cyclists to the right, and even cyclists who are illiterate could make out what this image tells them...  

Also, the sign at the same place has an arrow that points cyclists to the right, not to the left, just before where the previous images had been taken, for example, below: 

Sadly, it was wet, so I put my camera away before carrying on, but in a couple of minutes, when I was the other side of the road to St Mary in the Castle, a young lad (late teens/early 20s) was cycling along the pavement, heading into town, outside their restaurant. As I said, before 7 in the morning, very little road traffic, a cycle path to my right, and the lad was riding along the pavement... 

It does need sorting out, again noting the law, cyclists "MUST NOT cycle on the pavement", paragraph 64 (website). 

Damned Cyclists!

OK? WHEN did cyclists get permission to ride on the pavement? The lad above is outwith the law! To his left is a perfectly good road to cycle on, to the right is a perfectly good cycle path, as you will all know! The Law appears to state that cyclists MUST NOT cycle on a pavement (64 Government website), yet, and most cyclists do appear to obey the law, but many do not, cycle paths have been built for them, and roads are meant for them, NOT pavements, which many DO use! Last night, at 7.30pm, I was nearly hit by 3 cycles on the pavement, ie on a Sunday, when it was nice and quiet on the road!     

There were more cyclists later on last night who were happy to aim their bikes at me too, ON THE PAVEMENT! And it's not just young male flibbertigibbets! All ages, and both genders, no doubt cross-genders too... and I haven't even gone into cyclists ignoring crossings and traffic lights yet!

Something needs to be done, I used to visit my brother in Oxford, when he was at uni there, and it was much safer!